Language disorders
Next, we'll cover language disorders, along with a couple of brain regions often implicated in these types of disorders.
1) First, watch this video and read the associated article:
Article: Know Your Brain - Aphasia
2) Then, watch these videos about Broca's area and Wernicke's area, two brain regions often implicated in language disorders:
3) Read this article for some historical context: History of Neuroscience - Paul Broca
4) Finally, answer these questions to test your understanding:
1. A patient suffers a stroke and afterward is able to speak fluently, but her speech consists largely of nonsensical and made-up words. She also has significant difficulty understanding spoken language. What is this type of language disorder called?
- A. global aphasia
- B. Wernicke's aphasia
- C. anomic aphasia
- D. Broca's aphasia
Show Answer
Correct answer: B
Wernicke’s aphasia is characterized by fluent but meaningless speech, often containing made-up or inappropriate words, along with impaired comprehension of spoken language. It is most commonly associated with damage to Wernicke’s area, often due to stroke.
2. After a severe stroke that impacted a large region of the left cerebral hemisphere, a patient displays substantial deficits in both language production and comprehension. He can speak only a few words and has trouble understanding what others say to him. What type of aphasia does this sound most like?
- A. Broca's aphasia
- B. Wernicke's aphasia
- C. anomic aphasia
- D. global aphasia
Show Answer
Correct answer: D
Broca's aphasia mostly involves deficits in producing language, and Wernicke's aphasia mostly involves deficits in language comprehension and the production of meaningful language. Global aphasia, however, involves a combination of symptoms from Broca's and Wernicke's aphasia. Patients with global aphasia experience deficits in both the production and comprehension of speech.
3. After a stroke, a patient can understand language but has a difficult time producing speech. She struggles to find the words she wants to use, and can only speak in very fragmented sentences. What type of aphasia is she experiencing?
- A. Wernicke's aphasia
- B. Broca's aphasia
- C. global aphasia
- D. conduction aphasia
Show Answer
Correct answer: B
Broca's aphasia is characterized by a deficit in the ability to produce language, but language comprehension is typically intact. Broca's aphasia was named for its association with damage to Broca's area, a region of the brain implicated in language production, but it can result from damage to other areas of the brain as well.
4. Broca's area is typically found in which cerebral hemisphere?
- A. right hemisphere
- B. left hemisphere
- C. it is found in both hemispheres equally
Show Answer
Correct answer: B
Broca's area is found in the left cerebral hemisphere in around 95% of right-handed people and 70-80% of left-handed people.
