Adult Language Disorders part 1

What are the 3 different types of adult language disorders

Continuation of language disorder from childhood, developmental or aquired

What are the key roles of the left hemisphere?

Logic, literal words, math, details

What are the key roles of the right hemisphere?

big picture, context, “reading the room”, prosody, body language, facial expression

What is the bridge between the two hemispheres?

The corpus collosum

How would you describe changes in someone with right hemisphere deficits as opposed to aphasia

Changes are more subtle than with aphasia (RHD is more pragmatic based)

What kind of deficits do people with RHD suffer from?

Attention, visiospatial, social communication, cognitive communication

What are examples of attentional deficits

Sustained divided attention — driving, following convo, or multitasking

Left sided awareness and attention — Brain ‘ignores’ left visual field (not vision problem)

What is anosognosia?

Lack of awareness of a deficit

What are examples of visiospatial deficits

Reading a map, interacting with objects, drawing/painting

How does RHD affect social communication?

Struggle with abstract language — difficulty with metaphors, humor, and sarcasm

Struggle with prosody — monotone speech

How is executive function impact by RHD?

Struggle with organizing, planning, memory, and sequencing complex tasks

What are deficits of cognitive communication with RHD

Problem solving/reasoning, inferences, and initiation and motivation to do things

What is aphasia?

The partial or total disruption of language skills which may impact any or all of the following: verbal expression and auditory comprehension

What does it mean by verbal expression?

Naming items, findings words, makings sentences, formulating questions, and participating in convo

What does it mean by auditory comprehension?

Answering yes/no questions, following directions, understanding convo

What is fluent aphasia characterized by?

Empty speech (invented words), poor repetition skills, poor auditory comprehension skills

What is nonfluent aphasia characterized by?

difficulty finding words and slow labored verbal output

What is another name for fluent aphasia?

Wernickes aphasia

What is another name for nonfluent aphasia

brocas aphasia

How can music help people with RHDs

Areas in the right hemisphere of the brain are central in mediating music. Since nonfluent aphasia affects the left hemisphere of the brain, by singing they are able to bypass the injured left side and produce clear speech

Melodic intonation therapy in relation to aphasia

Functions associated with the intact right hemisphere of the brain may be exploited for purposes of rehabbing speech in individuals with left hemisphere brain damage

What are the two components of melodic intonation therapy

Intonation of words/phrases and rhythmic tapping of the left hand with each syllable

What is anomia?

Word finding

What is neologism?

Made up words (jargin)

What is prosopagnognia?

Inability to remember familiar faces (face blindness)

How does a RHD differ from aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by left hemisphere damage while RHD is a cognitive-communication disorder focusing on use of language rather than its structure

Why is social communication (pragmatics) particularly impacted by RHD

The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for interpreting context, understanding metaphors/irony, processing emotional tone in prosody, and managing conversational discourse

What is a goal of the aphasia choir?

To help improve quality of life for people post stroke or brain injury. Provides a supportive community for survivors, spouses, and caregives

What is one thing members of the aphasia choir want everyone to know

That aphasia does not mean you are less intelligent than somebody else