Lecture Notes on Neuroanatomy and Language

Flashcards for key vocabulary and concepts related to neuroanatomy, language, and associated disorders.

Anthocyanins

Natural pigments found in plants, such as blackberries, associated with various health benefits including improved blood flow and cognitive function.

Neocortex

The part of the brain that processes higher cognitive functions, characterized by six layers and local connections.

Divergence

The process where axons of pre-synaptic neurons divide into many branches to connect with multiple post-synaptic neurons.

Convergence

When multiple pre-synaptic neurons connect to a single post-synaptic neuron.

Broca's area

Region of the frontal lobe (Brodmann areas 44 & 45) involved in expressive language and motor programming for speech.

Wernicke's area

Located in the temporal lobe (Brodmann area 22), this area is crucial for receptive language and understanding oral language.

Arcuate fasciculus

The bundle of nerve fibers that connects Broca's area and Wernicke's area, facilitating communication between regions involved in language.

Angular gyrus

Part of the parietal lobe associated with reading, memory retrieval, and integrating sensory information.

Supramarginal gyrus

A region of the parietal lobe involved in the perception and processing of gestures and postures.

Thalamus

The brain structure that acts as a regulator and gatekeeper, impacting language segments and memory access.

Aphasia

Language disorder caused by brain damage, affecting the ability to communicate, influenced by the location and extent of brain injury.

Ischemic stroke

A type of stroke caused by blockage of blood flow to the brain, often leading to aphasia.

FLUENT APHASIAS

Aphasia types characterized by normal speech fluency but with impaired comprehension, including Wernicke's aphasia and conduction aphasia.

NONFLUENT APHASIAS

Aphasia types marked by decreased verbal output and effortful speech, such as Broca's aphasia and global aphasia.

Alexia

A reading disorder characterized by the inability to recognize written words, which can occur with or without agraphia.

Agraphia

A writing disorder marked by the inability to write, stemming from disruptions in the brain's language processing areas.

Right Hemisphere Disorder

A condition resulting from damage to the right hemisphere of the brain, leading to deficits in visuospatial processing and emotion recognition.