Week 1 - Introduction to the Brain and Neurological Communication Disorders

T/F: The brain is like a computer

True

T/F: The brain controls all the body’s actions and reactions

True

T/F: The brain is only 1% of total body weight

False. Its 2%.

How many hemispheres are there? What are they?

2 hemispheres: left and right

How many lobes does a brain have?

4 lobes

What are the name of the lobes?

• Parietal

• Temporal

• Occipital

• Frontal

Does brain size matter?

No. The amount of neurons matter, but most importantly the CEREBRAL CORTEX NEURONS.

What are the two networks?

• Blood vessels

• Nerves

What is the purpose of blood vessels?

To carry food

What are the purpose of nerves

To carry messages

What kind of nerves are there?

Sensory nerves and Motor nerves

Sensory nerves

Bring info from different parts of the body to the brain

Motor Nerves

Send instructions from the brain to the muscles

What does the brain need to function?

OXYGEN!

What connects brain to spinal cord?

Brain stem

What is the pathway for blood vessels?

1. Blood carries oxygen from the heart

2. Arteries pump blood through the brain, stopping at every nerve

3. Once each cell takes oxygen, then it releases CO2

4. Veins are blood vessels that take deoxygenated blood back to the heart

Are veins blood vessels?

yes

CVA stands for…

Cerebrovascular accident

What is a Cerebrovascular accident?

It is a stroke

How does a stroke occur?

Arteries

What are the 2 varieties of a stroke?

Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke

Ischemic stroke

A clot blocks blood flow to an area of the brain

Hemorrhagic stroke

Bleeding occurs inside or around the brain tissue

Symptoms of a CVA in the left brain

• Right face drop

• Right arm paralysis

• Right leg paralysis

• Trouble with language

Symptoms of a CVA in the right brain?

• Left face drop

• Left arm paralysis

• Left leg paralysis

• Trouble with attention and behavior

  • May do well on verbal tasks, but fail to execute

  • Poor problem-solving and judgement

  • Poor interpersonal skills

  • Visual deficits

  • Dysarthria

  • Denial or deficits

What is Dead brain tissue?

Tissue that was starved of oxygen

How can dead brain tissue occur?

Due to a blockage, an aneurysm burst, or a hemorrhage

T/F: Dead brain tissue can fully recover.

False. Dead brain tissue might never come back or it will be different

Acronym to remember the signs of a stroke

BE FAST

What does BE FAST stand for?

• Balance

• Eyes

• Face

• Arms

• Speech

• Time

TIA stands for…

Transient Ischemic Attack

What is a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)?

It is a warning stroke aka mini stroke

T/F: A TIA is temporary, with no permanent injury to the brain.

True

What does contralateral mean?

It means that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and that the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body.

Which hemisphere of the brain controls the Language?

Left brain

Broca’s aphasia is also known as….

Expressive aphasia

What is Broca’s aphasia

Language disorder that affects a person’s ability to express themselves through speech or writing, while their ability to understand language is often preserved

Wenicke’s Aphasia is also known as…

Receptive aphasia

What is Wernicke’s Aphasia

When a person has difficulty understanding spoken or written language, even though they may speak fluently and with normal grammar.

Where is the Broca’s area?

Frontal lobe

Where is the Wernicke’s area?

Temporal lobe

Does aphasia impact intellogence?

NO!

Global aphasia

is the most severe type. Impairments are both expressive and receptive - meaning they have difficulty understanding and producing language

Name two speech disorders.

Dysarthria and Apraxia

Dysarthria

Speech muscles are weak and discoordinated. Speech is slurred, whispered, or mumbled

Apraxia

Motor-planning deficit. You know what you want to say, but you can’t control and sequence the muscles to produce it.

Name therapy settings

• Inpatient hospital

• Support group

• Day program

• Outpatient clinic

• Rehab center

• Nursing home

• Home health

Areas that are tested

• Auditory comprehension

• Verbal expression

• Speech production

• Reading and writing

• Cognition

Other causes of impairments

• Dementia

• Traumatic brain injury

• Infections

• Brain tumors

• Mental health

• Environmental toxins

• Substance abuse

• Neurological diseases

• Age and superimposed medical condition