Psychology 210Psychology 210

Lecture 7Lecture 7

Kevin R SmithKevin R Smith

TodayToday

LanguageLanguage• General informationGeneral information• How is it processed in the brain?How is it processed in the brain?• DisordersDisorders• Other information about LanguageOther information about Language

Language: Why should we care?Language: Why should we care?

Language disorders affect lots of Language disorders affect lots of people (approx 1 million people)people (approx 1 million people)• Acquired aphasiaAcquired aphasia• Neurodegenerative disordersNeurodegenerative disorders

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’sAlzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

• Neurodevelopmental disordersNeurodevelopmental disorders Autism, Developmental DyslexiaAutism, Developmental Dyslexia

What is language?What is language?

Language is hard to defineLanguage is hard to define• CommunicateCommunicate• SpeechSpeech• ThoughtsThoughts

Not really any of theseNot really any of these

Language is complicatedLanguage is complicated

Other intelligent animals cannot Other intelligent animals cannot learn language except at the most learn language except at the most basic levelsbasic levels

Computers can’t learn itComputers can’t learn it Science has yet to understand itScience has yet to understand it

Language is complicatedLanguage is complicated

BUTBUT• Every normal human child in every Every normal human child in every

culture acquires sophisticated linguistic culture acquires sophisticated linguistic competence before the age of 5competence before the age of 5

• This learning occurs simply by exposure This learning occurs simply by exposure to language, and does not require to language, and does not require explicit instruction (unlike reading or explicit instruction (unlike reading or math)math)

• And, it can emerge spontaneously in And, it can emerge spontaneously in children with minimal linguistic children with minimal linguistic exposure exposure

Speaking is complexSpeaking is complex

““Why did Ken set the soggy net on Why did Ken set the soggy net on top of the deck?”top of the deck?”

?

Speaking is complexSpeaking is complex

Select words that will express the Select words that will express the conceptconcept

• soggysoggy vs. vs. wetwet; ; deckdeck vs. vs. patiopatio; ; set set vs. vs. putput Arrange them into the appropriate Arrange them into the appropriate

phrasesphrases• ……set the net on his deck set the net on his deck NOT NOT

……set the deck on his netset the deck on his net

Look up and arrange their sound Look up and arrange their sound structurestructure

• soggy net soggy net NOT NOT noggy setnoggy set

Speaking is complex (continued)Speaking is complex (continued)

Add appropriate prosodyAdd appropriate prosody• WHY did ken…WHY did ken…vs. vs. why DID kenwhy DID ken…vs. …vs. why why

did KENdid KEN… … Code the final product in motor Code the final product in motor

commandscommands

““Why did Ken set the soggy net on Why did Ken set the soggy net on top of the deck?”top of the deck?”

Comprehension is complexComprehension is complex

A six word sentence

Comprehension is complexComprehension is complex

Word boundaries are not present in Word boundaries are not present in wave formswave forms

How do we understand where words How do we understand where words begin and end?begin and end?

Comprehension is complexComprehension is complex

We are unable to take a sound wave We are unable to take a sound wave and break it into its componentsand break it into its components

Comprehension is complexComprehension is complex

Language is ambiguousLanguage is ambiguous

The WHITE house is under attack. (physically)The WHITE house is under attack. (metaphorically)The white HOUSE is under attack. (phys or metaph)The white house is under a tack.

Ambiguous LanguageAmbiguous Language

Visiting relatives can be boringVisiting relatives can be boring I saw the man with binocularsI saw the man with binoculars Child’s Stool Great for Use in GardenChild’s Stool Great for Use in Garden Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin

CaseCase Iraqi Head Seeks ArmsIraqi Head Seeks Arms Queen Mary Having Bottom ScrapedQueen Mary Having Bottom Scraped Complaints About NBA Referees Complaints About NBA Referees

Growing UglyGrowing Ugly

Language is complexLanguage is complex

A head A head , , -governs its complements, -governs its complements, which it which it -marks; if lexical, -marks; if lexical, L-marks L-marks its complements and their heads. By its complements and their heads. By SPEC-head agreement SPEC-head agreement -government -government is extended to specifier of IP and CP. is extended to specifier of IP and CP. These notions are defined in terms of These notions are defined in terms of X-bar theory and X-bar theory and -theory, -theory, independently of government… independently of government… -Chomsky 1986 -Chomsky 1986

Don’t forget grammarDon’t forget grammar

Learn in schoolLearn in school• Don’t split infinitivesDon’t split infinitives• Don’t end a sentence in a prepositionDon’t end a sentence in a preposition• No double negativesNo double negatives

Learn in lifeLearn in life• Computer lover, not computers loverComputer lover, not computers lover• Never explicitly been told the rule associated Never explicitly been told the rule associated

with this, but we know what is right and wrongwith this, but we know what is right and wrong• Fan-bleeping-tastic, not fantas-bleeping-ticFan-bleeping-tastic, not fantas-bleeping-tic• Insert the word before the first stressed Insert the word before the first stressed

syllablesyllable

Soooo….Soooo….

Language is:Language is:• ComplexComplex• AmbiguousAmbiguous• Difficult to describeDifficult to describe

If it is so difficult to understand what If it is so difficult to understand what language is, how can we study it?language is, how can we study it?

How to study language?How to study language?

Break it down into piecesBreak it down into pieces• ProductionProduction• PerceptionPerception• GrammarGrammar

Which two systems does language Which two systems does language use?use?

Wernicke-Lichtheim House ModelWernicke-Lichtheim House Model

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AM

Concepts

Motor Auditory

Traditional Model of LanguageTraditional Model of Language

PerceptionProduction

Geschwind 1979Scientific American

Traditional Model of Language Traditional Model of Language DisordersDisorders

Auditory speech decoding

Articulatory speech coding

Comprehension problems

Production problems

+empty error-filled

production

When damaged….When damaged….

Wernicke’s aphasiaBroca’s aphasia

Comprehension problems

Production problems

+empty error-filled

production

Comprehension problems

Production problems

+empty error-filled

production

Conduction aphasia

Wernicke’s aphasiaBroca’s aphasia

Error-filled speech, but good comprehension

Broca’s AphasicsBroca’s Aphasics

Production ProblemsProduction Problems Motor cortex is NOT Motor cortex is NOT

damageddamaged• Patients have full Patients have full

function of their function of their mouthmouth

Speech Production is Speech Production is disturbeddisturbed

Patient is aware of Patient is aware of deficitdeficit

Broca’s AphasiaBroca’s Aphasia

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Concepts

Motor Auditory

Characteristics of Broca’s AphasiaCharacteristics of Broca’s Aphasia

Non-fluent speechNon-fluent speech Patients often have a subset of Patients often have a subset of

practiced words or phrases they say practiced words or phrases they say wellwell

Uncommon or difficult words are Uncommon or difficult words are VERY hard to articulateVERY hard to articulate

Severities range from mild to severeSeverities range from mild to severe• Patient TANPatient TAN

Characteristics of Broca’s AphasiaCharacteristics of Broca’s Aphasia

Comprehension is usually fairly Comprehension is usually fairly normalnormal

Reading abilitiesReading abilities• Comprehension is goodComprehension is good• Very slowVery slow• Requires a lot of effortRequires a lot of effort• Dyslexia may co-occurDyslexia may co-occur

What may be going on here?What may be going on here?

Broca’s Area believed to be involved Broca’s Area believed to be involved in the motor aspect of wordsin the motor aspect of words

How to say a wordHow to say a word• Think of a wordThink of a word• Access the proper motor movements to Access the proper motor movements to

generate the wordgenerate the word

Wernicke’s AphasicsWernicke’s Aphasics Comprehension Comprehension

ProblemsProblems Auditory cortex is Auditory cortex is

NOT damagedNOT damaged• Patients are able to Patients are able to

normally process all normally process all non-speech soundsnon-speech sounds

Speech Speech comprehension is comprehension is disturbeddisturbed

Patient is unaware Patient is unaware of deficitof deficit

Wernicke’s AphasiaWernicke’s Aphasia

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Concepts

Motor Auditory

Characteristics of Wernicke’s Characteristics of Wernicke’s AphasiaAphasia

Fluent speechFluent speech Jargon filled speechJargon filled speech

• Unable to understand and get feedback about Unable to understand and get feedback about what they are sayingwhat they are saying

Reading abilitiesReading abilities• Affected to various degreesAffected to various degrees

Complete Agraphia often seenComplete Agraphia often seen• Inability to writeInability to write

If able to write, the writing is typically like If able to write, the writing is typically like their speechtheir speech

What may be going on here?What may be going on here?

Wernicke’s Area is believed to be Wernicke’s Area is believed to be involved in the auditory processing of involved in the auditory processing of wordswords

How to hear a wordHow to hear a word• Hear the wordHear the word• Unable to process the phonological Unable to process the phonological

aspects of words (the sounds that make aspects of words (the sounds that make up the words)up the words)

Conduction AphasicsConduction Aphasics A disconnect A disconnect

between the between the incoming auditory incoming auditory processing and the processing and the outgoing motor outgoing motor processingprocessing

Able to understandAble to understand Able to produce, Able to produce,

fairly wellfairly well

Conduction AphasicsConduction Aphasics

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Concepts

Motor Auditory

Conduction AphasicsConduction Aphasics

Unable to do tasks that require quick Unable to do tasks that require quick connections between auditory and connections between auditory and motormotor• RepetitionRepetition• No real feedback given on own speechNo real feedback given on own speech

Leads to errors in own speechLeads to errors in own speech

Aphasias according the the W-L Aphasias according the the W-L ModelModel

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Concepts

Motor Auditory

Broca’s Aphasia

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Conduction Aphasia

Transcortical Sensory Aphasia

Transcortical Motor Aphasia

Other types of AphasiaOther types of Aphasia

Global AphasiaGlobal Aphasia• Complete loss of Complete loss of

ability to ability to understand or understand or produce languageproduce language

• BOTH spoken and BOTH spoken and writtenwritten

• Some recovery Some recovery possiblepossible

Frequently upgraded Frequently upgraded to Broca’s or to Broca’s or Wernicke’s AphasicsWernicke’s Aphasics

Let’s recap…Let’s recap…

It seems like there are reasonable models for It seems like there are reasonable models for language processinglanguage processing

BUT there are many problems with these modelsBUT there are many problems with these models

Problems with the traditional viewProblems with the traditional view Only with huge lesions do you get Only with huge lesions do you get

broca’s aphasia, wernicke’s aphasia, broca’s aphasia, wernicke’s aphasia, or conduction aphasiaor conduction aphasia

Other models are currently being Other models are currently being researchedresearched

Broca’saphasia Wernicke’s

aphasia

What else?What else?

Traditionally: Language is considered Traditionally: Language is considered left lateralizedleft lateralized

Left hemisphere believed to be more Left hemisphere believed to be more detail orienteddetail oriented• Right hemisphere is believed to be more Right hemisphere is believed to be more

spatial orientedspatial oriented Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are in Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are in

the left hemispherethe left hemisphere

So is Language Really Left So is Language Really Left Lateralized?Lateralized?

WADA studiesWADA studies• Patients are still able Patients are still able

to understand to understand directions without directions without the use of their left the use of their left hemispherehemisphere

• Patients are unable Patients are unable to produce speech to produce speech thoughthough

• Language decoding Language decoding is not left lateralizedis not left lateralized

What about Sign Language?What about Sign Language?

Has grammarHas grammar Just like a Just like a

traditional traditional languagelanguage

Spatial in Spatial in nature nature

How is it How is it organized in organized in the brain?the brain?

SUMMER

UGLY

DRY

Sign LanguageSign Language

Organization is the same as spoken Organization is the same as spoken languagelanguage

CAN develop aphasias in sign CAN develop aphasias in sign language language

Where are the lesions?Where are the lesions? Lesions are in typical areas and also Lesions are in typical areas and also

in some atypical ones (visual areas)in some atypical ones (visual areas)

Where’s Grammar?Where’s Grammar?

Unclear where Unclear where grammar is grammar is processedprocessed

Possibly in anterior Possibly in anterior temporal areastemporal areas

Random extra things about Random extra things about languagelanguage

Past tensePast tense Other related disordersOther related disorders

Past tensePast tense

Debate about how we store other Debate about how we store other aspects of languageaspects of language

Add “ed” to the end when something Add “ed” to the end when something is past tenseis past tense

I walkedI walked Is this a stored rule?Is this a stored rule?

• Kids make mistakes: “I runned to the Kids make mistakes: “I runned to the store”store”

Do we store each individual case?Do we store each individual case?

Other related disordersOther related disorders

AlexiaAlexia• Inability to readInability to read

DyslexiaDyslexia• Problems readingProblems reading

AnomiaAnomia• Inability to name itemsInability to name items• Unable to access stored item namesUnable to access stored item names