Adult Language: Cognitive Communication Disorders

Flashcards on key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes on Adult Language and Cognitive Communication Disorders.

Cognitive Communication Disorders Definition

Difficulty with any aspect of communication that is affected by a disruption in cognition.

Cognition Definition

Cognitive processes and systems including attention, memory, organization, and executive function.

Areas of Cognition Impacting Communication

Attention, memory, perception, insight and judgement, organization, orientation, language, processing speed, problem solving, reasoning, executive functioning, and metacognition.

Attention

Integration of sensory information, including visual, auditory, sustained, selective, alternating, and divided attention.

Orientation

Person, place, and time.

Memory

Includes working, short-term, long-term, declarative (episodic/semantic), procedural, and prospective types.

Social Cognition

Understanding emotions, perspective taking, social cues (sarcasm, irony), theory of mind, social rules, and self-regulation.

Hemispheric Specialization

Each side of the brain houses specialized abilities; the left hemisphere versus the right hemisphere. Also known as cerebral dominance.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt to internal or external influences; at the heart of spontaneous recovery and learning.

Frontal Lobe Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Impacts emotional control, motivation, and inhibition; may cause frustration, aggressiveness, lethargy, or inability to perform complex tasks.

Temporal Lobe Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Causes aggression, memory loss, learning difficulties, and potential persistent talking.

Parietal Lobe Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Difficulty processing body information, identifying objects by touch, and coordinating movements. Causes directional problems.

Occipital Lobe Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Affects vision, leading to blindness, hallucinations, and difficulty identifying colors, words, and objects. Causes reading and writing issues.

Limbic System Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Affects emotions and physical desires; impairs organization, perception, balance, and movement; may decrease breathing capacity, affecting speech.

Cerebral Cortex Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Plays a crucial role in higher-level cognitive functions and behavioral regulation. The specific impact on emotions and behavior depends largely on the location and extent of the cortical damage.

Cerebellum Cognitive/Behavioral Impacts

Affects coordination of fine movement. Results in impairment of walking, reaching, and grabbing.

Principles of Attention

Involves focus on one or more stimuli (internal or external, modality must be noted), capacity limitation, and selection.

Early Filter Theory

Irrelevant stimuli are filtered out early on.

Filter Attenuation Model

Irrelevant stimuli are attenuated but still monitored.

Late Filter Theory

Selection of target stimuli occurs later

Spotlight Theory

An object in one area of the visual field receives enhanced processing.

Resource Allocation Theory

We flexibly allocate resources from a single cognitive pool of resources to various tasks.

Alerting Network

Producing and maintaining alertness to complete activities, closely related to the reticular formation.

Orienting Network

Prioritizes incoming sensory input.

Executive Network

Detects incoming targets, responds to them and moves onto the next target.

Glasgow Coma Scale

A standardized scale that measures the severity of impaired consciousness based on arousal and awareness.

Decorticate Rigidity

Arms flexed at sides, legs extended and internally rotated, feet plantar flexed.

Decerebrate Rigidity

The jaws are clenched and the neck is extended. The arms are adducted and stiffly extended at the elbows, with forearms pronated, wrists and fingers flexed. The legs are stiffly extended at the knees, with the feet plantar flexed.