Adult Language PPT 1

What are the three types of neurons?

Association neurons, afferent (receptive) neurons, and efferent (motor) neurons.

What are association neurons?

Neurons within the CNS (brain and spinal cord) that connect/process information.

What are afferent neurons?

Receptive/sensory neurons in the peripheral nervous system that sense stimuli and send information to the brain.

What are efferent neurons?

Motor neurons in the peripheral nervous system that send signals to initiate movement.

What is the CNS?

The central nervous system, consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

The nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord; it includes cranial and spinal nerves.

Why is the peripheral nervous system important in speech-language pathology?

It is important for understanding motor speech disorders.

How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?

12 pairs.

Where do cranial nerves emerge from?

The brainstem.

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?

31 pairs.

Where do spinal nerves emerge from?

The spinal column.

What do nerve fibers carrying motor impulses do?

Carry motor impulses from the CNS to organs/muscles.

What do sensory nerve fibers do?

Carry sensory impulses from peripheral organs to the brain.

What are the major parts you should be able to draw on the brain?

Cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem.

What are the three major parts of the brainstem?

Midbrain, pons, and medulla.

What is gray matter?

Brain tissue consisting primarily of nerve cell bodies that processes sensory and motor information.

What does gray matter include?

Areas such as Broca's area and Wernicke's area.

What can damage to gray matter cause?

Aphasia, depending on the area damaged.

What is white matter?

Long filaments/axons that connect gray matter areas and allow communication between them.

What is a major function of white matter?

It permits communication between different gray matter areas.

What does white matter influence?

The speed at which neural messages are transmitted.

Until approximately what age does white matter increase?

Around age 40.

What disorders are associated with white matter damage?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and dementia.

What is the brainstem?

The structure connecting the brain with the spinal cord; it includes the medulla, pons, and midbrain.

What is the cerebellum?

A brain structure that coordinates and modulates movement.

What is the diencephalon?

A region between the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres that includes structures such as the thalamus.

What are the basal ganglia?

Deep brain structures involved in movement control that receive input from the frontal lobe and send information to the cortex through the thalamus.

What is the cerebrum?

The largest part of the brain, consisting of the two cerebral hemispheres and cerebral cortex.

What is the cerebral cortex?

The outer layer of the cerebrum.

What are cerebral ventricles?

Cavities within the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid.

What are lobes?

Major divisions of the cerebral cortex: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.

What is the thalamus?

A major relay station for sensory and motor information and a structure involved in consciousness and alertness.

What are sulci?

Grooves or valleys on the surface of the brain.

What are gyri?

Ridges or hills on the surface of the brain.

What is the medulla oblongata?

The lowest portion of the brainstem that connects with the spinal cord and controls many autonomic functions.

What does the medulla contain?

Fibers originating in the brain and cerebellum that descend toward the spinal cord.

What autonomic functions are associated with the medulla?

Digestion, breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

What is the pons?

The portion of the brainstem that serves as a bridge to the cerebellum and is involved in hearing, balance, and movement information.

What does the pons connect?

It connects the cerebral hemispheres with the cerebellum and contains pathways related to cranial nerves.

What does the pons do with movement information?

It transfers movement information from the cerebral hemispheres to the cerebellum.

What is the midbrain?

The upper portion of the brainstem involved in sensory and motor functions.

What functions are associated with the midbrain?

Eye movement, postural reflexes, and coordination of visual and auditory reflexes.

How many hemispheres does the cerebellum have?

Two hemispheres.

What does the cerebellum do?

Coordinates and modulates the force and range of body movements.

What type of movements does the cerebellum help produce?

Smooth, rhythmic movements, including speech movements.

Where is the diencephalon located?

Between the brainstem and the cerebral hemispheres.

What is the third ventricle?

A ventricular space in the diencephalon containing cerebrospinal fluid.

What is the thalamus's role in sensory processing?

It acts as a relay station for sensory information traveling to the cortex.

What is the thalamus's role in motor processing?

It relays information related to motor impulses to the cortex.

What role does the thalamus have in consciousness?

It helps maintain consciousness and alertness.

What structures receive input from the frontal lobe and send information to the cortex through the thalamus?

The basal ganglia.

What can basal ganglia damage cause?

Dyskinesias and hyperkinetic dysarthria.

What is dyskinesia?

Abnormal or uncontrolled movement.

What is hyperkinetic dysarthria?

A motor speech disorder associated with excessive, involuntary movements.

What is tardive dyskinesia?

A movement disorder associated with long-term use of certain neuroleptic/antipsychotic drugs that causes repetitive involuntary movements.

What is ataxia?

A movement disorder involving poor coordination, often associated with cerebellar dysfunction.

What symptoms can ataxia cause?

Uncoordinated or clumsy balance, speech, or limb movements.

What is cervical dystonia?

A disorder involving sustained or intermittent contractions of neck muscles that cause abnormal turning of the neck.

What is chorea?

Repetitive, brief, irregular, relatively rapid involuntary movements involving areas such as the face, mouth, trunk, and limbs.

What is dystonia?

Sustained involuntary muscle contractions that cause twisting or repetitive movements.

What is functional movement disorder?

A movement disorder that can resemble neurological movement disorders but is not caused by neurological disease.

What is Huntington's disease?

An inherited progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing chorea, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric symptoms.

What is multiple system atrophy?

A progressive neurological disorder affecting multiple brain systems and potentially causing ataxia, parkinsonism, low blood pressure, and bladder problems.

What is myoclonus?

Lightning-fast involuntary jerks of a muscle or group of muscles.

What is Parkinson's disease?

A progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and imbalance.

What is parkinsonism?

A group of conditions producing symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease.

What is progressive supranuclear palsy?

A neurological disorder causing problems with walking, balance, and eye movements that can resemble Parkinson's disease.

What is restless legs syndrome?

A movement disorder involving unpleasant sensations in the legs while resting that are often relieved by movement.

What causes tardive dyskinesia?

Long-term use of certain drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions, particularly neuroleptic drugs.

What movements are common in tardive dyskinesia?

Repetitive involuntary movements such as grimacing and eye blinking.

What is Tourette syndrome?

A neurological condition involving repetitive motor tics and vocal tics, typically beginning during childhood or adolescence.

What is a tremor?

Involuntary rhythmic shaking of part of the body.

What is Wilson's disease?

A rare inherited disorder in which excessive copper accumulates in the body and causes neurological problems.

What are projection fibers?

Fibers that transmit sensory information to the brain and motor information from the brain to muscles.

What are association fibers?

Fibers that connect areas within the same cerebral hemisphere.

What is the superior longitudinal fasciculus?

An association fiber pathway connecting regions within a cerebral hemisphere.

What is the arcuate fasciculus?

A white matter pathway that connects language-related regions, including Broca's and Wernicke's areas.

What are commissural fibers?

Fibers that connect corresponding areas of the two cerebral hemispheres.

What is the corpus callosum?

The major commissural fiber tract connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

What can damage to the corpus callosum cause?

Disconnection syndromes.

What is the cerebrum?

The largest and most recently evolved major structure of the brain, consisting of two hemispheres and the cerebral cortex.

What are gyri?

Raised ridges on the surface of the cerebral cortex.

What are sulci?

Grooves between the gyri.

What is the longitudinal sulcus?

The deep groove that separates the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

What is the central sulcus?

The groove separating the frontal and parietal lobes; also called the fissure of Rolando.

What is the lateral sulcus?

The groove separating the temporal lobe from frontal and parietal regions; also called the Sylvian fissure.

Why is the lateral sulcus important for communication disorders?

Regions surrounding it are involved in speech, language, and hearing.

What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex?

Frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.

What is the precentral gyrus?

The primary motor cortex located in the frontal lobe.

What is the postcentral gyrus?

The primary somatosensory cortex located in the parietal lobe.