exam one: neurogenic communication disorders

these flashcards cover essential terms, definitions, and concepts related to neurogenic communication disorders and their underlying neurological principles.

neurogenic communication disorder

a problem with communication behavior due to damage to the brain or other parts of the nervous system

examples of neurogenic communication disorders

the aphasias (broca’s, wernicke’s), dysarthria, apraxia of speech, right hemisphere disorders, dementia, tbi

settings for neurogenic communication disorders in speech-language pathology

skilled nursing facilities, acute care, rehab facilities, outpatient rehab, home health, hospice, children's hospitals, and schools

importance of understanding neurogenic disorders outside of the clinical setting

neurogenic communication disorders appear in settings outside of the clinical setting, so SLPs must be able to recognize and treat these disorders

the brain is the source for all human behavior

speech

one vehicle for representing language; a motor behavior that involves respiration, phonation, and articulation to produce sounds

language

how we code what we know, including semantics, pragmatics, syntax, phonology, and morphology

cognition

everything we know, experience, and think

subcategories of cognition

attention, orientation, memory, organization, reasoning, judgment, executive functions

gross divisions of language

receptive and expressive

decline in cognition with healthy aging

selective attention, divided attention for complex tasks, short-term memory, episodic memory, declarative memory, working memory

retained cognition in healthy aging

orientation, sustained attention, divided attention for basic tasks, long-term memory, procedural memory, executive functions

decline in language with aging

processing of verbal language, reading comprehension, word finding

retained language in healthy aging

comprehension, functional verbal language processing, and reading

evidence-based practice

combines current research, clinical expertise, and expert opinion to improve service quality

difference between therapy and treatment

therapy refers to working with patients directly, treatment includes all elements of therapy

why clinicians rather than therapists?

reflects full scope of practice including diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of disorders

parts of a neuron

dendrite, soma, and axon

signals enter through the dendrite and exit through the end bouton, which is a part of the axon

importance of neurons

transmit and process information vital for bodily functions like perception and movement

major divisions of nervous system

central nervous system (cns) and peripheral nervous system (pns)

cns structures

cerebral cortex, cerebellum, subcortex, basal ganglia, brainstem, spinal cord

pns structures

cranial and spinal nerves

FINAL COMMON PATHWAY

function of the subcortex and its four structures

responsible for functions beneath awareness; regulates heartbeat, breathing, and sleep

four structures: brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus, and basal ganglia

gyri and sulci

ridges (gyri) and valleys (sulci) of the cerebral cortex that increase brain surface area

function of myelin

axons are insulated to allow fast conduction of electrical impulses

longitudinal fissure

separates the left and right cerebral hemispheres

communication between hemispheres

through receiving information from the corpus callosum (commissural fibers)

right hemisphere function

governs spatial awareness, interprets nonverbal cues, processes emotional expression, music, and imagery, and houses the ability to interpret nonlinguistic signals

left hemisphere function

primarily responsible for expressive and receptive language

cerebral lobes

frontal (executive), parietal (sensory), temporal (auditory), occipital (vision), and insular

brain stem sections

midbrain: auditory and visual reflex, houses the substantia nigra

pons: attaches cerebellum to rest of the cns - bridge

medulla: respiration, phonation, heartbeat, and blood pressure, many motor fibers decussate here to the other side of the body

cerebellum function

coordinates fine movement and integrates sensory information

more neurons that in the cerebellum structurally

ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR OF ALL OF OUR MOVEMENT

function of thalamus

acts as a sensory relay station; all of the functions besides olfactory go the the thalamus

basal ganglia function

initiates movement, maintains muscle tone, and inhibits extraneous movements

dopamine is important here

limbic system

collection of structures involved in motivation, emotion, and memory.

motor homunculus

map representing brain areas responsible for motor functions - voluntary movement

important areas: hands, face, and tongue

sensory homunculus

map representing brain areas responsible for sensory input - touch and proprioception

important areas: face, lips, tongue, hands

blood supply to brain

internal carotid arteries and vertebral arteries that are supplied from the aorta and included in the circle of willis

spinal cord anatomy

starts at the medulla, transmitting sensory and motor information

cranial vs spinal nerves

cranial nerves (twelve) innervate within the head/neck, are located in the midbrain (I-IV), pons (V-VIII), and medulla (IX – XII); spinal nerves (thirty-one pairs) control trunk/limbs, located within the grey matter of the spinal cord

most important cranial nerve for speech (imo)

hypoglossal nerve (XII), controls tongue movement and has sensory and motor components

six important cranial nerves for speech

V, VII, IX, X, XI, XII

idiopathic etiologies

cause is unknown or obscure

ischemic vs hemorrhagic stroke

ischemic strokes block blood flow; hemorrhagic strokes involve bleeding

types of ischemic strokes

thrombotic (blockage), embolic (lodging), and transient ischemic attack (temporary)

types of hemorrhagic stroke

subarachnoid (above brain surface) and intracerebral (within brain)

aneurysm (the silent killer)

abnormal blood vessel dilation; can cause fatal internal bleeding

BEFAST

balance, eyes, face, arm, speech, time; helps recognize stroke symptoms

diaschisis

a sudden loss or change of function in a portion of the brain connected to a distant brain area

impact in time after a stroke

8-16 seconds: may result in loss of consciousness

20-25 seconds: changes to electrical activity in neurons

3-5 minutes: may result in irreversible damage

most strokes are

ischemic

communication

understanding, speaking, writing, conversation, and social interaction

number one cause of neurogenic communication disorders

stroke

autonomic nervous system

the structure within the pns that functions to maintain our heart and lungs

keeps us alive!

the final common pathway is the

pns

how long can we survive without any oxygen to the brain?

six-eight minutes

anoxia

complete loss of oxygen to a cell

hypoxia

partial loss of oxygen to a cell

SPOTS within orientation

self, place, others, time, situation

right hemisphere function - ted talk

thinks in pictures and uses senses

left hemisphere function - ted talk

thinks in language

thinks linearly and methodically

pragmatics

the system that combines the language components in functional and socially appropriate communication

neuroplasticity

the ability of our neurons to learn, change, and acquire new functions

the three sections of the brain

cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem (very heirarchical)

corpus callosum

highway between two lobes

frontal lobe

attention, planning decision making, movement, speech

parietal lobe

processes sensory information, including touch, temperature, pain, and pressure

spatial awareness

occipital lobe

vision

temporal lobe

hearing, memory processing, emotion, smell

insular lobe

integration hub for sensory, emotional, autonomic, and cognitive processes, including pain perception, taste, social emotions, and self-awareness

has important neurons for speech

brain stem

important for human survival

has neurons related to heart rate and breathing

limbic system

controls and regulates emotions

gray matter

cell body, unmyelinated fibers

white matter

axons covered in myelin

aphasia

acquired language disorder of neurogenic origin

non-fluent aphasia

halting speech with relatively intact comprehension

fluent aphasia

disturbed language comprehension with relatively intact speech

conduction aphasia

reduced ability to repeat what is heard with intact expressive and receptive language

global aphasia

significant loss of receptive and expressive language

substantia nigra

where the brain produces a neurotransmitter known as dopamine

the brain makes up ___ percent of body weight, but uses ____ percent of oxygen

two, twenty

chronic neurogenic communication disorders

alzheimers, dementia, parkinson’s

acute neurogenic communication disorders

aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia of speech

symptom

a characteristic or a feature that a patient reports to you that has changed from their normal daily function - hallmark feature of a disorder

sign

what the patient presents with that the clinician will evaluate and examine

attention

the ability to stay focused on something once you notice it and turn your attention to it

how might communication be compromised if a person’s cognition is not intact?

communication can be compromised because they may have difficulty understanding information, organizing their thoughts, remembering words, or expressing ideas clearly

working memory vs. short-term memory

stm: temporarily stores information for a short time

wm: holding + working with information

what structures of the cerebellum attach it to the pons and the cns

cerebellar peduncles