Brain and Language

Question 1

What are the main aims of the block on brain and language?

Answer 1

Understand how brain damage affects language production and comprehension
Understand how brain development varies with experience
Understand how the brain supports oral and written language (production and comprehension)

The block aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between brain function and language.

Question 2

What is brain lateralization?

Answer 2

The phenomenon where sensory input and motor control of one side of the body are linked to the contralateral hemisphere

It highlights how each hemisphere of the brain specializes in different functions.

Question 3

Which hemisphere controls the right side of the body?

Answer 3

Left hemisphere

This hemisphere also processes visual input from the right visual field.

Question 4

Which hemisphere is typically responsible for most language functions in right-handed individuals?

Answer 4

Left hemisphere

Right-hemisphere dominance for language is observed in only 30% of left-handed individuals.

Question 5

What is the RVF advantage for word recognition?

Answer 5

The right visual field (RVF) provides an advantage for recognizing words

This is due to the direct connection to the left hemisphere, which is language-dominant for most individuals.

Question 6

What are the main brain language structures?

Answer 6

Wernicke’s area, Broca’s area, primary auditory cortex

These areas are critical for language processing and production.

Question 7

What is the ventral pathway responsible for?

Answer 7

Speech perception and understanding spoken words

It involves extracting sound identity and processing intelligible speech.

Question 8

Fill in the blank: The _______ pathway is involved in sound repetition and first and second language learning.

Answer 8

dorsal

The dorsal pathway engages in sound processing but does not necessarily activate meaning.

Question 9

What is the significance of hemispheric asymmetry in brain development?

Answer 9

It is partially explained by heredity and observed in other animal species

Asymmetry may contribute to specialized brain functions.

Question 10

What factors can shape brain networks according to experience-modulated development?

Answer 10

• Acquired skills (sports, music)
• Sensory deprivation (vision, audition)
• Atypical development examples (institutional neglect, feral children)

Individual experiences play a crucial role in shaping how the brain develops and functions.

Question 11

What does the Bucharest Early Intervention Project demonstrate?

Answer 11

Early neglect affects social, communicative, and cognitive development

This project compares outcomes for children in orphanages versus foster care.

Question 12

What adaptations occur in congenitally blind individuals?

Answer 12

Sensory cortices with no input can be co-opted for other functions, such as echolocation or Braille reading

This illustrates the brain’s plasticity and ability to adapt to sensory loss.

Question 13

What are the two main types of brain pathways discussed?

Answer 13

• Ventral pathway
• Dorsal pathway

These pathways are essential for different aspects of language processing.

Question 14

True or False: The left hemisphere is responsible for processing visual input from the left visual field.

Answer 14

False

The right hemisphere processes visual input from the left visual field.

Question 15

What is the role of imaging techniques in brain development research?

Answer 15

They allow tracking of typical development over time and correlations with behavior

Imaging techniques provide insights into how brain structures change and develop.

Question 16

What is one consequence of sensory deprivation in brain development?

Answer 16

It can lead to atypical development

Examples include the experiences of deaf children in speaking families.

Question 17

What types of experiences can lead to atypical language networks?

Answer 17

• Institutional neglect
• Blindness

These experiences can significantly alter the typical pathways associated with language processing.

Question 18

How many adults are functionally illiterate in England?

Answer 18

5.1 million

Question 19

What does writing represent?

Answer 19

Units of spoken language (words, syllables, sounds)

Question 20

What is the visual lexicon in reading?

Answer 20

An abstract level of representation for visual word forms

Question 21

True or False: The visual word form area (VWFA) responds equally to upper and lower case letters.

Answer 21

True

Question 22

What does the VWFA respond more to?

Answer 22

Words more than false-fonts or consonant strings

Question 23

What is the significance of the triangle model in reading?

Answer 23

It accounts for behavioral findings and brain-based models

Question 24

Where is the visual word form area located?

Answer 24

In the fusiform (occipitotemporal) gyrus

Question 25

What type of evidence supports the adaptation of the VWFA?

Answer 25

Comparative studies of literates, illiterates, and ex-illiterates

Question 26

What do skilled readers activate in addition to the VWFA?

Answer 26

Letter strings & auditory words, object naming

Question 27

Fill in the blank: The VWFA may not be exclusively involved in _______.

Answer 27

reading or in visual processing

Question 28

What are the two routes involved in reading?

Answer 28

Ventral route and dorsal route

Question 29

What is developmental dyslexia?

Answer 29

Difficulty in learning to read below standard appropriate to age with no apparent issue with spoken language

Question 30

What is a key characteristic of phonological impairment in dyslexia?

Answer 30

Decomposing words into individual sounds

Question 31

What brain area is often overactivated in dyslexic children?

Answer 31

Left inferior frontal gyrus

Question 32

What improvements can some dyslexics achieve?

Answer 32

Good levels of reading through compensatory strategies

Question 33

True or False: Acquired phonological dyslexia allows for better reading of non-words than familiar words.

Answer 33

False

Question 34

What is a common issue in non-word reading for individuals with acquired phonological dyslexia?

Answer 34

Non-words are misread as familiar words

Question 35

What is necessary for developing successful interventions for reading difficulties?

Answer 35

Understanding the mechanisms underpinning reading

Question 36

What are the main deficits associated with developmental dyslexia?

Answer 36

Phonological awareness, non-word repetition, naming pictures, phonological working memory

Question 37

Which routes are involved in reading words out loud?

Answer 37

Dorsal (phonological) route and ventral (semantic) route

Question 38

What are the two routes involved in reading?

Answer 38

Dorsal (phonological) route and ventral (semantic) route ## Footnote The dorsal route is associated with phonological processing, while the ventral route is linked to semantic processing.

Question 39

What is semantic memory?

Answer 39

Storing concepts in the brain linked to word meanings and world knowledge ## Footnote Semantic memory involves how concepts are represented and organized in the brain.

Question 40

How are concepts organized in semantic memory?

Answer 40

Hierarchically structured models, prototype models, and embodied concepts ## Footnote These models explain how features and characteristics of concepts are represented.

Question 41

Define 'embodied concepts'.

Answer 41

Grounding concepts in body actions and perception ## Footnote Embodied concepts involve sensory-motor features and the actions they afford.

Question 42

What are category-specific impairments?

Answer 42

Difficulties in understanding and naming specific categories of objects ## Footnote These impairments can reflect damage to category knowledge or sensory features.

Question 43

What is semantic dementia?

Answer 43

A progressive, degenerative brain disease affecting semantic memory, particularly in the anterior temporal lobe ## Footnote Semantic dementia leads to non-category specific semantic impairments.

Question 44

What characterizes semantic dementia?

Answer 44

Impairment in recognition and understanding of words and objects across modalities ## Footnote This includes spoken and written words, independent of sensory modalities.

Question 45

What factors affect retention or loss of meanings in semantic dementia?

Answer 45

* Familiarity / frequency * Age of acquisition ## Footnote Early acquired, high frequency concepts are retained longer than late acquired, low frequency ones.

Question 46

What is the hub-and-spoke model?

Answer 46

A theory that the temporal pole forms a modality-independent hub for integrating features of meaning ## Footnote This model explains the distributed yet convergent nature of conceptual knowledge.

Question 47

What are the main tasks involved in semantic processing?

Answer 47

Meaning-related and conceptual tasks, such as identifying actions performed with objects ## Footnote These tasks require responses appropriate to the context and task demands.

Question 48

True or False: Semantic dementia is category-specific.

Answer 48

False ## Footnote Semantic dementia is characterized by non-category specific impairments.

Question 49

Fill in the blank: The _______ is a brain area associated with semantic dementia.

Answer 49

anterior temporal lobe ## Footnote Damage in this area leads to the characteristic symptoms of semantic dementia.

Question 50

What do cognitive theories of conceptual representations suggest?

Answer 50

Concepts are structured hierarchically and may have prototype models ## Footnote This includes the idea of graded internal structure based on similarity to a prototype.

Question 51

How do sensory and functional features differ in category-specific impairments?

Answer 51

Living things are known for sensory-perceptual properties; non-living things for functional properties ## Footnote This distinction is important in understanding how impairments manifest.

Question 52

What does the term 'prototype models' refer to?

Answer 52

Concepts made of frequent/typical features of typical category members ## Footnote This model emphasizes how similarity to a prototype affects categorization.

Question 53

What kind of features do action verbs activate in embodied concepts?

Answer 53

Execution-related features ## Footnote Examples include verbs like kick, pick, lick that relate directly to physical actions.

Question 54

What are the implications of category-specific impairments for cognitive theories?

Answer 54

They suggest damage to category knowledge and representational clustering ## Footnote This can provide insight into how conceptual knowledge is organized.

Question 55

What brain regions are involved in semantic competition?

Answer 55

LIFG and PMTG.

Question 56

What is competitive word understanding?

Answer 56

Competition and selection between equally strong associated alternatives.

Question 57

Provide examples of ambiguous words.

Answer 57

* BOWL * TRAY

Question 58

What type of words elicit more activity in LIFG and PMTG?

Answer 58

Weakly related words.

Question 59

What is the effect of semantic memory on word processing?

Answer 59

Multiple convergence zones and distributed meaning.

Question 60

What does the selection of relevant features in context involve?

Answer 60

Sentence comprehension.

Question 61

What areas are involved in sentence comprehension?

Answer 61

LIFG and posterior temporal gyrus.

Question 62

What is agrammatism?

Answer 62

Agrammatism affects the ability to convert thoughts into sentences, especially around the action/verb.

Question 63

What is the Test for the Reception of Grammar (TROG)?

Answer 63

A test that assesses sentence comprehension.

Question 64

What type of sentences reveal more subtle comprehension impairments?

Answer 64

Passive sentences.

Question 65

What issues do patients with agrammatism face in comprehension?

Answer 65

* Relationships between words * Verb retrieval * Function words * Inflectional endings

Question 66

What is the role of LIFG and PMTG in language processing?

Answer 66

Semantic processing and sentence control.

Question 67

How do atypical language networks function in congenitally deaf individuals?

Answer 67

LH regions assume different roles based on input and output.

Question 68

What brain region is active in Braille reading?

Answer 68

Visual cortex and fusiform gyrus.

Question 69

What happens when congenitally blind individuals listen to words?

Answer 69

Posterior visual areas are activated despite an intact auditory cortex.

Question 70

What remains consistent despite re-organization in the language network?

Answer 70

Left-lateralisation.

Question 71

What is the interplay of genes and experience in language processing?

Answer 71

Network changes from sensory experience emerge along dorsal pathways.

Question 72

Fill in the blank: Damage to LIFG results in similar _______.

Answer 72

problems.

Question 73

True or False: The basic skeleton of dorsal and ventral pathways remains intact.

Answer 73

True.