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Revista de NeurologiaThe purpose of this study is to offer an update on the anatomofunctional bases of language and the theories that explain its normal and pathological development. (Review)
Review
AIMS
The purpose of this study is to offer an update on the anatomofunctional bases of language and the theories that explain its normal and pathological development.
METHOD
Language is a clear example of one of the higher functions of the brain, the development of which is carried out, on the one hand, in a genetically determined anatomofunctional structure and, on the other hand, by the verbal stimulus provided by the environment. Several systems and subsystems are at play within the anatomofunctional structure and these operate in series and in parallel. A large amount of the knowledge we have about the neurophysiological bases of language come from observations carried out in adult patients with circumscribed lesions and their clinical consequences (aphasias). Findings from recent studies involving functional imaging in volunteers submitted to linguistic tests have added more data. According to Damasio, three functional systems are at work in language: 1. The instrumental system, which corresponds to the perisylvian region of the dominant hemisphere where phonological processing takes place; 2. The mediation system, which includes temporal, frontal and parietal areas that surround the anterior region and are where lexical items are organised in a modular fashion, in terms of categories, actions and functional or connecting words; 3. The semantic system, which includes extensive areas of the cortex in both hemispheres and is the seat of concepts and meanings. Throughout a child s development, the evolution he or she follows to reach the neurolinguistic organisation of the adult brain requires the integrity and proper functioning of these structures that are for the most part located in the dominant hemisphere. We review the different theories that appear in the specialised literature concerning the causes and fisiopathogenic mechanisms behind dysphasias in early childhood.
CONCLUSIONS
Among the numerous functions that take part in the complex language system, some are essential for its normal development. From the work of Tallal et al. it has been seen that the sequential and fast phonological processing of consonant vowel shifts is altered in dysphasic and dyslexic children. This finding is related with the disorders in the normal asymmetry of the temporal planum (the left is larger than the right) that has been observed in these patients and with the neuropathological findings of Galaburda et al. in dyslexic patients who had previously been dysphasic, in whom cytoarchitectural anomalies (heterotopias) were found, above all in the left perisylvian region. Obviously not all forms of dysphasia are the result of this alteration. According to Chevrie Muller s classical chart adapted by us in accordance with Damasio s scheme it is possible to locate the dysphasic syndromes in different loci and distinguish a different physiopathological mechanism for each of them.
Topics: Aphasia; Brain; Functional Laterality; Humans; Language; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 12717659
DOI: No ID Found -
Research in Developmental Disabilities Jan 2018Targeting the frequency or complexity of prelinguistic vocalizations might improve the language trajectory of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who exhibit... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Targeting the frequency or complexity of prelinguistic vocalizations might improve the language trajectory of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who exhibit continued expressive language deficits.
AIMS
This meta-analysis evaluates the strength of the association between various measures of vocalizations and expressive language in young children with ASD and five putative moderators of that association to inform prelinguistic intervention development: consonant-centricity, communicativeness, concurrent versus longitudinal research design, risk for correlated measurement error, and publication status.
METHODS AND PROCEDURES
We systematically searched databases and other sources for correlations between vocalizations and expressive language in children with ASD less than 9 years old. Using robust variance estimation, we calculated the weighted mean effect size and conducted moderator analyses.
OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
Nine studies (19 reports), which included 362 participants and 109 unique effect sizes, met inclusion criteria. The weighted mean effect size between vocalizations and expressive language was significant (r=0.50, 95% CI [0.23, 0.76]). As predicted, concurrent correlations were significantly stronger than longitudinal correlations. Other moderator effects were not detected.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Young children with ASD demonstrate a strong association between vocalizations and expressive language skills. Future experimental studies should investigate causal relations to guide intervention development.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child; Humans; Language; Speech; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 29195157
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.11.010 -
Neuropsychopharmacology Reports Sep 2020Verbal Fluency is sensitive to brain damage and is employed to assess language abilities like the size of vocabulary and the semantic-lexical networks' integrity and...
AIMS
Verbal Fluency is sensitive to brain damage and is employed to assess language abilities like the size of vocabulary and the semantic-lexical networks' integrity and executive functioning abilities particularly inhibition, working memory, and self-monitoring. Various studies revealed oscillatory changes related to word retrieval during different tasks. However, there are not enough studies on electroencephalographic characteristics of word retrieval routes (phonological or semantic pathway) during free recall. The purpose of our study was to investigate electroencephalography power relationship with semantic and phonological word finding routes during verbal fluency.
METHODS
In this within-subject study, the electroencephalography of 20 healthy participants was recorded during written category and letter fluency tasks and compared with the rest state. Absolute power of the signals in delta (1-3.5 Hz), theta (4-7.5 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), and beta (12.5-30 Hz) was calculated in three lobes (frontal, parietal, and temporal).
RESULTS
A repeated measures ANOVA showed significant interaction of condition × lobe × frequency × side (P < .001). Post hoc test for each lobe showed significant changes in the absolute power of delta, theta and beta for frontal, delta and theta for parietal, and theta and beta for temporal lobes (P-values < .05).
CONCLUSION
Searching the words by phonological entries is associated with decreased beta and increased theta in left frontal lobe. These changes are not necessary for semantic word retrieval strategy.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Brain Waves; Electroencephalography; Female; Humans; Male; Phonetics; Photic Stimulation; Psychomotor Performance; Semantics; Verbal Behavior; Young Adult
PubMed: 32757253
DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12129 -
Developmental Science Sep 2017Using existing longitudinal data from 570 infants in the Maternal Lifestyle Study, we explored the predictive value of maternal and infant affect and maternal...
Using existing longitudinal data from 570 infants in the Maternal Lifestyle Study, we explored the predictive value of maternal and infant affect and maternal vocalizations during 2 minutes of face-to-face interactions at 4 months on IQ scores at 4.5 and 7 years. After controlling for demographic factors, maternal depression, and prenatal drug exposure, maternal positive affect and maternal positive vocalizations emerged as predictors of both verbal and performance IQ at 4.5 and 7 years. Although infant positive affect during the interaction with the mother was not predictive of these outcome measures, infant positive affect towards an examiner predicted verbal but not performance IQ at 4.5 years. These results suggest that maternal positive affect may index emotional engagement in interaction that facilitates both verbal and nonverbal cognitive development, while infant social positive affect is specifically related to the acquisition of verbal reasoning abilities. These findings are significant because they are based on a discrete snapshot of observable behavior in infancy (just 2 minutes of interaction), because they extend the range of maternal behaviors and characteristics known to support positive developmental outcomes, and because they are derived from high-risk infants where prevention efforts may be beneficial. Potential mechanisms for these associations are discussed, as are the clinical implications for identifying dyads most in need of targeted interventions.
Topics: Child; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant Behavior; Intelligence; Intelligence Tests; Male; Maternal Behavior; Mother-Child Relations; Regression Analysis; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 27774733
DOI: 10.1111/desc.12479 -
Evolutionary Psychology : An... 2019Patterns of nonverbal and verbal behavior of interlocutors become more similar as communication progresses. Rhythm entrainment promotes prosocial behavior and signals...
Patterns of nonverbal and verbal behavior of interlocutors become more similar as communication progresses. Rhythm entrainment promotes prosocial behavior and signals social bonding and cooperation. Yet, it is unknown if the convergence of rhythm in human speech is perceived and is used to make pragmatic inferences regarding the cooperative urge of the interactors. We conducted two experiments to answer this question. For analytical purposes, we separate pulse (recurring acoustic events) and meter (hierarchical structuring of pulses based on their relative salience). We asked the listeners to make judgments on the hostile or collaborative attitude of interacting agents who exhibit different or similar pulse (Experiment 1) or meter (Experiment 2). The results suggest that rhythm convergence can be a marker of social cooperation at the level of pulse, but not at the level of meter. The mapping of rhythmic convergence onto social affiliation or opposition is important at the early stages of language acquisition. The evolutionary origin of this faculty is possibly the need to transmit and perceive coalition information in social groups of human ancestors. We suggest that this faculty could promote the emergence of the speech faculty in humans.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Biological Evolution; Cooperative Behavior; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Social Perception; Time Factors; Verbal Behavior; Young Adult
PubMed: 31564124
DOI: 10.1177/1474704919879335 -
Revista de Neurologia Jan 2017Since Lezak coined the term executive functions to refer to the mental capabilities that are considered essential for performing efficacious, creative and socially... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Since Lezak coined the term executive functions to refer to the mental capabilities that are considered essential for performing efficacious, creative and socially acceptable behaviour, they have gradually grown in importance in neuropsychological research. Different models have been proposed to explain their nature, but there is no general agreement as to whether we are dealing with a unitary construct or a multimodal processing system with independent, but interconnected, components. With the aim of gaining a deeper knowledge of the structure of this construct, researchers have conducted lesion, neuroimaging and, more recently, factorial analysis studies, the latter being seen as a promising methodology for expanding our knowledge about such a generic concept as the executive functions.
DEVELOPMENT
The purpose of this study is to carry out a systematic review of factorial models of attention and executive control in adults, between the years 1991 and 2016, using the PubMed, OvidSP and PsycINFO databases. Altogether, 33 papers were reviewed. Based on the literature, an integrating proposal of the executive functions is put forward.
CONCLUSIONS
Although we do not have just one single model that can account for the complexity of the executive functions, there does seem to be general agreement on their multidimensionality. In factorial analyses, there is strong evidence of updating, inhibition and alternation, although there are also studies that propose novel factors. Our integrating proposal aims to combine the executive processes found in the literature with their corresponding neuroanatomical correlates, and defends the stance that the ideal methodology should use information from lesion studies, neuroimaging techniques and psychometric-computational models.
Topics: Adult; Attention; Decision Making; Executive Function; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Humans; Inhibition, Psychological; Memory, Long-Term; Memory, Short-Term; Models, Neurological; Models, Psychological; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 28075001
DOI: No ID Found -
Cognitive Processing Nov 2017Sex differences in verbal fluency performance and strategies are highly controversial, nevertheless suggesting a slight female advantage at least for phonemic fluency. A...
Sex differences in verbal fluency performance and strategies are highly controversial, nevertheless suggesting a slight female advantage at least for phonemic fluency. A tendency of increased clustering of words into phonemic and semantic subcategories in men and increased switching between those categories in women has been suggested. In spatial tasks, it has been demonstrated that changes in instructions favoring a certain cognitive strategy can alter sex differences in performance. Such an approach has, however, not been attempted previously with verbal tasks. In the present investigation, 19 women in their luteal cycle phase and 23 men performed a phonemic and a semantic fluency task with three different instructions, one neutral, one emphasizing the clustering, and one emphasizing the switching of words. While under neutral instructions no sex differences were observed in verbal fluency performance and strategies, sex differences in switching and overall performance were observed in semantic fluency with an instruction requiring a switching strategy. Furthermore, correlation analyses suggested that the importance of strategies for overall performance differed between women and men. While only switching, but not clustering was related to overall verbal fluency performance in all tasks under all instructions, this relationship was driven by women in the phonemic task, but by men in the semantic task. These results highlight the importance of a consistent methodology in sex difference research. Slight variations in instructions may in part explain inconsistencies regarding sex differences in verbal fluency between previous studies.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Sex Characteristics; Verbal Behavior; Young Adult
PubMed: 28365902
DOI: 10.1007/s10339-017-0801-1 -
NeuroImage Apr 2011Neuroimaging studies of normative human brain development indicate that the brain matures at differing rates across time and brain regions, with some areas maturing into...
Neuroimaging studies of normative human brain development indicate that the brain matures at differing rates across time and brain regions, with some areas maturing into young adulthood. In particular, changes in cortical thickness may index maturational progressions from an overabundance of neuropil toward efficiently pruned neural networks. Developmental changes in structural MRI measures have rarely been examined in relation to discrete neuropsychological functions. In this study, healthy right-handed adolescents completed MRI scanning and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Associations of task performance and cortical thickness were assessed with cortical-surface-based analyses. Significant correlations between increasing COWAT performances and decreasing cortical thickness were found in left hemisphere language regions, including perisylvian regions surrounding Wernicke's and Broca's areas. Task performance was also correlated with regions associated with effortful verbal processing, working memory, and performance monitoring. Structure-function associations were not significantly different between older and younger subjects. Decreases in cortical thicknesses in regions that comprise the language network likely reflect maturation toward adult-like cortical organization and processing efficiency. The changes in cortical thicknesses that support verbal fluency are apparent by middle childhood, but with regionally separate developmental trajectories for males and females, consistent with other studies of adolescent development.
Topics: Adolescent; Aging; Cerebral Cortex; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Task Performance and Analysis; Verbal Behavior; Young Adult
PubMed: 21255662
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.01.018 -
Scientific Reports Oct 2019How did vocal language originate? Before trying to determine how referential vocabulary or syntax may have arisen, it is critical to explain how ancient hominins began...
How did vocal language originate? Before trying to determine how referential vocabulary or syntax may have arisen, it is critical to explain how ancient hominins began to produce vocalization flexibly, without binding to emotions or functions. A crucial factor in the vocal communicative split of hominins from the ape background may thus have been copious, functionally flexible vocalization, starting in infancy and continuing throughout life, long before there were more advanced linguistic features such as referential vocabulary. 2-3 month-old modern human infants produce "protophones", including at least three types of functionally flexible non-cry precursors to speech rarely reported in other ape infants. But how early in life do protophones actually appear? We report that the most common protophone types emerge abundantly as early as vocalization can be observed in infancy, in preterm infants still in neonatal intensive care. Contrary to the expectation that cries are the predominant vocalizations of infancy, our all-day recordings showed that protophones occurred far more frequently than cries in both preterm and full-term infants. Protophones were not limited to interactive circumstances, but also occurred at high rates when infants were alone, indicating an endogenous inclination to vocalize exploratorily, perhaps the most fundamental capacity underlying vocal language.
Topics: Child Development; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Language; Speech; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 31611607
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51352-0 -
Behavioural Neurology 2012Changes of cognitive function in PD have been extensively documented and defined as a 'frontal' type executive dysfunction. One of the main components of this executive...
Changes of cognitive function in PD have been extensively documented and defined as a 'frontal' type executive dysfunction. One of the main components of this executive dysfunction is the impairment of verbal fluency. The aim of the present study was to assess semantic and phonemic fluency in a large sample of PD patients and to investigate the effect of clinical and sociodemographic variables on verbal fluency in this patient group. Three hundred patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who were consecutive referrals to our clinic and 50 age and education matched healthy controls completed the phonemic and semantic verbal fluency tasks. Both phonemic and semantic verbal fluency were significantly impaired in PD patients relative to matched controls. Stage of illness, presence of depression, education and age influenced verbal fluency measures. Regression analyses established that global measures of cognitive ability (MMSE) and executive function (FAB) and side of onset of motor symptoms predicted 36-37% of variance of phonemic or semantic verbal fluency measures. Thus, future studies aimed at assessing cognitive functioning in PD patients treated by deep brain stimulation (DBS) should adequately take into account several factors (stage of illness, depression, executive functioning) which may potentially influence performance on verbal fluency tasks.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Cognition; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Parkinson Disease; Phonetics; Semantics; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 22530265
DOI: 10.3233/BEN-2011-0354