Introduction to Neuroscience for Communication Disorders

neuroscience

foundation for the study of normal anatomy & physiology

• imperative in understanding relationship & development

• normal expectations vs abnormal

• allows for identification of lesion (location, type, etc)

speech/language/hearing

extensive training in physiology & psychology of communication

• undertake or assist in effects of neurologic injury

• identify cause of problem, prognosis, counseling

• normal mental processes & disorders

neurologic diagnosis

1. distribution & localization of deficits

2. knowledge of neuroanatomic pathways, cortical projections, sites of decussation, interaction w other functional systems

3. clinical history, disease process, clinical exam of sensory/motor functions

4. interest in human behavior used in assessment of higher mental function, often relying on SLP for impact

anatomy

structure

physiology

function

neuron

basic structure of nervous system

communication

basic function of nervous system

soma

cell body; contains nucleus & organelles

dendrites

receiver (afferent)

• can have one or many

axon

sender (efferent)

• each neuron has only 1, but can branch into collaterals

  • ends in axon terminal (terminal bouton)

  • axon structure created by microtubules, microfilaments, & neurofilaments

synapse

point of communication btwn axon terminal & other structure (neuron, muscle, gland)

central nervous system

brain & spinal cord

• made up of neurons

  • gray matter & white matter

protected by bony casing

• brain inside cranium

• spinal cord inside spinal canal created by vertebral column

protected by tissues & fluid

• meninges, cerebrospinal fluid

brain

controls all functions; sends signal to spinal cord

spinal cord

connects brain & body; sends signal to peripheral NS

peripheral nervous system

consists of all the nerves that carry info to & from CNS

• autonomic & somatic systems

autonomic

unconscious control of body systems

• cardiac & smooth muscle, glands

• digestion, breathing, etc

• contains sympathetic & parasympathetic systems

sympathetic

fight, flight, freeze

parasympathetic

return to rest

gray matter

cell bodies, process information

white matter

axons, carry signals to other neurons/structures

• axons often insulated w myelin, creating the whitish color

meninges

triple layer of tissues surrounding entire brain & spinal cord

cerebrospinal fluid

fluid within ventricles inside brain & within meninges surrounding CNS

lobes

within each hemisphere; functions roughly assigned to each

frontal

motor, basic language (LH), higher level cognition

parietal

somatosensory, attention

occipital

visual processing

temporal

auditory, basic language (LH), prosody (RH), recognition of objects/faces, memory

cytoarchitecture

6 layers of neuron cell bodies in the cortex

• layers have different connections & general functions

• Broadmann’s areas represent different cellular organization; roughly associated w different functions

primary motor strip

motor map; pre-central gyrus

primary sensory strip

somatosensory map, post-central gyrus

somatic

controlled, voluntary muscle movement

• skeletal movement

• 12 cranial nerves, 31 spinal nerves