Language, Speech, Reading & Writing

Expressing Emotion

neural activation related to emotional pathways include the firing of facial muscle causing them to contract in associating with experienced emotion

Emotions (6)

1. surprise

2. anger

3. disgust

4. fear

5. happiness

6. sadness

Echoing Expressions

mimicking facial expressions and emotions

Mirror Neurons

specialized neuron that facilitates human understanding of the intention underlying actions

association of body language, facial expression, and emotional meaning

Grammar

obedience to a set of rules for using words/phrases

Syntax

arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences

Prosody

utterances of the appropriate emotional valence by varying pitch, stress, intensity, and rhythm

Speech - Muscles (4)

1. larynx

2. pharynx

3. mouth

4. tongue

Glottis

vocal cords

Speech - Function

air expelled through lungs

accelerate as it goes through glottis

Glottis - Function

• decreased pressure, folds close

• increased pressure, folds open

• varies between 100-400 Hz

Speech - Left Brain

• articulates language

• comprehension

• word recognition

• syntax language

Speech - Right Brain

• recognition of tone

• rhythm

• stress of speech

• speaker identification

• gesture recognition

• prosody

Wada Test

patient is given short acting aesthetic into internal carotid artery

patient is given series of language/memory tests or neuro examination

determined which side of brain responsible for certain vital functions (speech and memory)

Areas of Language (2)

1. wernicke’s area

2. broca’s area

Wernicke’s Area - Location

temporal lobe (pink)

Wernicke’s Area - Function

receptive

understands and comprehends language

Broca’s Area - Location

frontal lobe (purple)

Broca’s Area - Function

expressive

speech articulation, moves mouth to form words

Geschwind’s Territory - Location

temporal lobe

near wernicke’s area

(green)

Geschwind’s Territory - Function

sight, sound, and body come together to form meaning and comprehension

high level cognition

Arcuate Fasciculus

nerve fibers that link wernicke’s and broca’s areas

Broca’s Aphasia

language cannot be expressed

language can be interpreted

Wernicke’s Aphasia

language cannot be interpreted

language can be expressed (may not make sense)

Conduction Aphasia

arcuate fasciculus is damaged

cannot produce appropriate responses to heard communication

Global Aphasia

inability to comprehend or express language

Passive Listening

visual cortex activated when reading

not listening to understand

Active Listening

listening to understand

wernicke’s, broca’s, and geschwind’s areas activated

Left Hemisphere Aphasia - Sign Language

problems with sign production

problems with sign comprehension

Right Hemisphere Aphasia - Sign Language

problems with emotional tone, visuospatial processing and emotional processing

Amygdala

processes emotional tone

Auditory Cortex

tone and rhythm analyzed

Listening Pathway

auditory cortex → amygdala → (left hemi) wernicke’s area → inferior frontal cortex → anterior temporal lobe → memories in frontal lobe

Cerebellum

times control of speech production

Speech Pathway

wernicke’s area → arcuate fasciculus → broca’s area → motor cortex → cerebellum

Reading & Writing - Brain Involvement (5)

1. Visual Cortex

2. Visual Word Recognition Area

3. Auditory Cortex

4. Broca’s Area

5. Temporal lobe

Reading & Writing - Visual Cortex

visual image of text is processed and sends information along recognition route to language areas

Reading & Writing - Visual Recognition Area

evolved to discriminate visual details for text discrimination after training

Reading & Writing - Auditory Cortex

text is broken down into sounds so it can be “heard”

reader is able to know the word by its sound

Reading & Writing - Broca’s Area

links written word to spoken word

Reading & Writing - Temporal Lobe

matches words to meanings via memories

Mixed Non-Fluent Aphasia

limited, effortful speech

comprehension more limited than those with broca’s aphasia

Dyslexia

language development disorder where individuals have brain changes in areas where words are translated from visual symbols into sounds

more gray matter

cannot analyze and remember the sounds contained in words

Dyslexic Treatments

tutoring ways to remember spelling

audio books

spell-checkers

voice-recognition programs

Dyslexia - Issues

phonemic awareness

decoding (sounding out words)

fluency (reading speed & accuracy)

comprehension (understanding what is read)

Dyslexia - Signs

difficulty spelling simple words

reluctance to read aloud

mixing up the position of sounds in a word

confusing letters with shapes

Dyslexia - Left Hemisphere

less active

responsible for language processing

Dyslexia - Right Hemisphere

more active

responsible for visual and spatial processing

Dyslexia - Matter

less white matter in the left hemisphere

Dyslexia - Broca’s Area

grammar processing and speech production

compensating more for people with dyslexia

Dyslexia - Parietotemporal Lobe

decodes phonemes and assembles words

crucial for reading

affected by dyslexia

Dyslexia - Occipitotemporal Lobe

word form area

rapid word cognition and fluent reading

reduced activity in this area

Phonological Dyslexia

most common

difficulty with phonemic awareness and decoding

affects cognitive functions like memory and attention

Surface Dyslexia

difficulty with sight word recognition and spelling irregular words

Rapid Naming Dyslexia

difficulty with quickly naming objects or colors

Mixed Dyslexia

combination of multiple types of dyslexia