Subcortical Functions in Language and Memory

Subcortical Functions in Language and Memory PDF Author: Bruce A. Crosson
Publisher: Guilford Press
ISBN: 9780898627909
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 392

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Book Description
How do the thalamus, basal ganglia, and basal forebrain participate in language and memory? Are these anatomic entities involved in regulation of cortical activity, complex information processing, transfer of information between cortical units, motivation, or in other functions? This volume is the first single-authored volume devoted to understanding how deep brain structures participate in language and memory. Addressing a relatively new area of research, the book is unique in two ways. First, it comprehensively covers both language and memory not only with extensive literature reviews, but also with examinations of the anatomy of the structures involved and discussions of theory in light of empirical data. Second, the book takes a systems approach to the topics. In order to produce and understand language or to record and retrieve memories, different parts of the brain must operate as integrated systems. As subcortical structures are parts of these systems, this book endeavors to understand how these phylogenetically older structures contribute to systems responsible for communication and mnestic functions. Designed to facilitate this end, each of the book's sections follows a neuroanatomy--empirical data--theory format. Part I concentrates on the participation (or nonparticipation) of various subcortical structures in language. Rather than attempt to arrive at definitive conclusions, these chapters explore the possibilities suggested by the currently available data. Following a description of the neuroanatomy and a discussion of the data concerning the thalamus and basal ganglia, attention is paid to theories regarding the participation of these structures in language. Part II addresses the thalamus, other diencephalic structures, the basal forebrain, and the basal ganglia regarding their possible roles in memory. The connections between these structures are addressed, as is the relationship between current data on the participation of subcortical structures in memory and current neuropsychological assumptions about memory. The extensive literature on memory in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome and Huntington's disease is culled for insights into what memory processes are subserved by subcortical structures, and memory theory is examined in light of what the subcortical literature reveals about memory. Paving the way for future research that holds the promise of a greater flexibility and complexity than now exists with purely cortical models, this volume will interest clinical and experimental neuropsychologists, cognitive psychologists, behavioral neurologists, speech/language pathologists, and psychiatrists with an interest in behavioral neurology. It also serves as a text for upper level graduate courses covering subcortical functions in cognition, neural systems, and advanced human neuropsychology.

Subcortical Functions in Language and Memory

Subcortical Functions in Language and Memory PDF Author: Bruce A. Crosson
Publisher: Guilford Press
ISBN: 9780898627909
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 392

Get Book Here

Book Description
How do the thalamus, basal ganglia, and basal forebrain participate in language and memory? Are these anatomic entities involved in regulation of cortical activity, complex information processing, transfer of information between cortical units, motivation, or in other functions? This volume is the first single-authored volume devoted to understanding how deep brain structures participate in language and memory. Addressing a relatively new area of research, the book is unique in two ways. First, it comprehensively covers both language and memory not only with extensive literature reviews, but also with examinations of the anatomy of the structures involved and discussions of theory in light of empirical data. Second, the book takes a systems approach to the topics. In order to produce and understand language or to record and retrieve memories, different parts of the brain must operate as integrated systems. As subcortical structures are parts of these systems, this book endeavors to understand how these phylogenetically older structures contribute to systems responsible for communication and mnestic functions. Designed to facilitate this end, each of the book's sections follows a neuroanatomy--empirical data--theory format. Part I concentrates on the participation (or nonparticipation) of various subcortical structures in language. Rather than attempt to arrive at definitive conclusions, these chapters explore the possibilities suggested by the currently available data. Following a description of the neuroanatomy and a discussion of the data concerning the thalamus and basal ganglia, attention is paid to theories regarding the participation of these structures in language. Part II addresses the thalamus, other diencephalic structures, the basal forebrain, and the basal ganglia regarding their possible roles in memory. The connections between these structures are addressed, as is the relationship between current data on the participation of subcortical structures in memory and current neuropsychological assumptions about memory. The extensive literature on memory in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome and Huntington's disease is culled for insights into what memory processes are subserved by subcortical structures, and memory theory is examined in light of what the subcortical literature reveals about memory. Paving the way for future research that holds the promise of a greater flexibility and complexity than now exists with purely cortical models, this volume will interest clinical and experimental neuropsychologists, cognitive psychologists, behavioral neurologists, speech/language pathologists, and psychiatrists with an interest in behavioral neurology. It also serves as a text for upper level graduate courses covering subcortical functions in cognition, neural systems, and advanced human neuropsychology.

Subcortical Structures and Cognition

Subcortical Structures and Cognition PDF Author: Leonard F. Koziol
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387848681
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 415

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Book Description
Clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists are traditionally taught that cognition is mediated by the cortex and that subcortical brain regions mediate the coordination of movement. However, this argument can easily be challenged based upon the anatomic organization of the brain. The relationship between the prefrontal cortex/frontal lobes and basal ganglia is characterized by loops from these anterior brain regions to the striatum, the globus pallidus, and the thalamus, and then back to the frontal cortex. There is also a cerebrocerebellar system defined by projections from the cerebral cortex to the pontine nuclei, to the cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei, to the red nucleus and then back to thalamus and cerebral cortex, including all regions of the frontal lobes. Therefore, both the cortical-striatal and cortical-cerebellar projections are anatomically defined as re-entrant systems that are obviously in a position to influence not only motor behavior, but also cognition and affect. This represents overwhelming evidence based upon neuroanatomy alone that subcortical regions play a role in cognition. The first half of this book defines the functional neuroanatomy of cortical-subcortical circuitries and establishes that since structure is related to function, what the basal ganglia and cerebellum do for movement they also do for cognition and emotion. The second half of the book examines neuropsychological assessment. Patients with lesions restricted to the cerebellum and/or basal ganglia have been described as exhibiting a variety of cognitive deficits on neuropsychological tests. Numerous investigations have demonstrated that higher-level cognitive functions such as attention, executive functioning, language, visuospatial processing, and learning and memory are affected by subcortical pathologies. There is also considerable evidence that the basal ganglia and cerebellum play a critical role in the regulation of affect and emotion. These brain regions are an integral part of the brain’s executive system. The ability to apply new methodologies clinically is essential in the evaluation of disorders with subcortical pathology, including various developmental disorders (broadly defined to include learning disorders and certain psychiatric conditions), for the purpose of gaining greater understanding of these conditions and developing appropriate methodologies for treatment. The book is organized around three sources of evidence: neuroanatomical connections; patients with various disease processes; experimental studies, including various imaging techniques. These three sources of data present compelling evidence that the basal ganglia and cerebellum are involved in cognition, affect, and emotion. The question is no longer if these subcortical regions are involved in these processes, but instead, how they are involved. The book is also organized around two basic concepts: (1) the functional neuroanatomy of the basal ganglia and the cerebellum; and (2) how this relates to behavior and neuropsychological testing. Cognitive neuroscience is entering a new era as we recognize the roles of subcortical structures in the modulation of cognition. The fields of neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, neuropsychiatry, and neurology are all developing in the direction of understanding the roles of subcortical structures in behavior. This book is informative while defining the need and direction for new paradigms and methodologies for neuropsychological assessment.

Discovering the Brain

Discovering the Brain PDF Author: National Academy of Sciences
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309045290
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 195

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Book Description
The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brainâ€"an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attentionâ€"and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniquesâ€"what various technologies can and cannot tell usâ€"and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakersâ€"and many scientists as wellâ€"with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Communication

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Communication PDF Author: Vesna Mildner
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 0805854355
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 382

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Book Description
This book is about how human brains create and use language. The author covers this material in eight chapters that encompass the range of knowledge about the subject and can read in any order.

The Oxford Handbook of Neurolinguistics

The Oxford Handbook of Neurolinguistics PDF Author: Greig I. de Zubicaray
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190914866
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 672

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Book Description
Neurolinguistics is a young and highly interdisciplinary field, with influences from psycholinguistics, psychology, aphasiology, and (cognitive) neuroscience, as well as other fields. Neurolinguistics, like psycholinguistics, covers aspects of language processing; but unlike psycholinguistics, it draws on data from patients with damage to language processing capacities, or the use of modern neuroimaging technologies such as fMRI, TMS, or both. The burgeoning interest in neurolinguistics reflects that an understanding of the neural bases of this data can inform more biologically plausible models of the human capacity for language. The Oxford Handbook of Neurolinguistics provides concise overviews of this rapidly-growing field, and engages a broad audience with an interest in the neurobiology of language. The chapters do not attempt to provide exhaustive coverage, but rather present discussions of prominent questions posed by given topics. The volume opens with essential methodological chapters: Section I, Methods, covers the key techniques and technologies used to study the neurobiology of language today, with chapters structured along the basic divisions of the field. Section II addresses the neurobiology of language acquisition during healthy development and in response to challenges presented by congenital and acquired conditions. Section III covers the many facets of our articulate brain, or speech-language pathology, and the capacity for language production-written, spoken, and signed. Questions regarding how the brain comprehends meaning, including emotions at word and discourse levels, are addressed in Section IV. Finally, Section V reaches into broader territory, characterizing and contextualizing the neurobiology of language with respect to more fundamental neuroanatomical mechanisms and general cognitive domains.

Human Language and Our Reptilian Brain

Human Language and Our Reptilian Brain PDF Author: Philip Lieberman
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674265459
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
This book is an entry into the fierce current debate among psycholinguists, neuroscientists, and evolutionary theorists about the nature and origins of human language. A prominent neuroscientist here takes up the Darwinian case, using data seldom considered by psycholinguists and neurolinguists to argue that human language--though more sophisticated than all other forms of animal communication--is not a qualitatively different ability from all forms of animal communication, does not require a quantum evolutionary leap to explain it, and is not unified in a single "language instinct." Using clinical evidence from speech-impaired patients, functional neuroimaging, and evolutionary biology to make his case, Philip Lieberman contends that human language is not a single separate module but a functional neurological system made up of many separate abilities. Language remains as it began, Lieberman argues: a device for coping with the world. But in a blow to human narcissism, he makes the case that this most remarkable human ability is a by-product of our remote reptilian ancestors' abilities to dodge hazards, seize opportunities, and live to see another day.

Exploring the Thalamus and Its Role in Cortical Function

Exploring the Thalamus and Its Role in Cortical Function PDF Author: S. Murray Sherman
Publisher: MIT Press (MA)
ISBN: 9780262195324
Category : Higher nervous activity
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The thalamus plays a critical role in perceptual processing, but many questions remain about what thalamic activities contribute to sensory and motor functions. In this book, two pioneers in research on the thalamus examine the close two-way relationships between thalamus and cerebral cortex and look at the distinctive functions of the links between the thalamus and the rest of the brain. Countering the dominant "corticocentric" approach to understanding the cerebral cortex—which does not recognize that all neocortical areas receive important inputs from the thalamus and send outputs to lower motor centers—S. Murray Sherman and R. W. Guillery argue for a reappraisal of the way we think about the cortex and its interactions with the rest of the brain. The book defines some of the functional categories critical to understanding thalamic functions, including the distinctions between drivers (pathways that carry messages to the cortex) and modulators (which can change the pattern of transmission) and between first-order and higher-order thalamic relays—the former receiving ascending drivers and the latter receiving cortical drivers. This second edition further develops these distinctions with expanded emphasis throughout the book on the role of the thalamus in cortical function. An important new chapter suggests a structural basis for linking perception and action, supplying supporting evidence for a link often overlooked in current views of perceptual processing.

Language in the Brain

Language in the Brain PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Research monograph explaining how language is learnt, stored and used by the brain from the perspective of neurolinguistics. This book assesses current assumptions about how language is acquired, remembered and retained as impulses in the brain, from the perspective of neurolinguistics, which is based on neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. Fred C.C. Peng argues that language is behaviour, which has evolved in human genetics through time. Like all behaviours, language utilises many body parts which are controlled by the cortical and subcortical structures of the brain. Language in the brain is memory-governed, meaning-centred, and multifaceted. This view is a challenge to conventional neuroscience, which sees language and speech as separate entities; such a convention is not consistent with how the brain functions. Dr Peng's study of language in the brain has wide-reaching implications for the study of language disorders, neurolinguistics, and psycholinguistics in dealing with dementia, aphasia, and schizophrenia. This cutting-edge research monograph presents challenging new insights in the field of neuroscience to a linguistic audience and will also benefit neuroscientists. It will be essential reading for academics researching any aspect of language and the brain.

Language in the Brain

Language in the Brain PDF Author: Fred C.C. Peng
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1847142036
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Book Description
This book assesses current assumptions about how language is acquired, remembered and retained as impulses in the brain, from the perspective of neurolinguistics, which is based on neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. Fred C. C. Peng argues that language is behaviour, which has evolved in human genetics through time. Like all behaviours, language utilises many body parts which are controlled by the cortical and subcortical structures of the brain. Language in the brain is memory-governed, meaning-centred, and multifaceted. This view is a challenge to conventional neuroscience, which sees language and speech as separate entities; such a convention is not consistent with how the brain functions. Dr Peng's study of language in the brain has wide-reaching implications for the study of language disorders, neurolinguistics, and psycholinguistics in dealing with dementia, aphasia, and schizophrenia. This cutting-edge research monograph presents challenging new insights in the field of neuroscience to a linguistic audience and will also benefit neuroscientists. It will be essential reading for academics researching any aspect of language and the brain.

Subcortical Stroke

Subcortical Stroke PDF Author: Geoffrey Donnan
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191583049
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 468

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Book Description
Subcortical Stroke is a new and fully revised edition of Lacunar and Other Subcortical Infarctions (OUP, 1995). Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and subcortical stroke accounts for 20-30% of all cerebrovascular infarctions. Our understanding of stroke processes in general, and subcortical stroke in particular, has advanced considerably in recent years. Research findings from the fields of neurochemistry, imaging and genetics have provided insight and input to our understanding of this condition, and this new edition provides an opportunity to describe these advances, and to relate the findings to the clinical expression, neural mechanism, prognosis and treatment of subcortical stroke. In addition, new subcortical syndromes such as CADASIL are covered, as is subcortical haemorrhage. This book presents a comprehensive and authoritative review of the field with contributions from the leading international experts. Subcortical Stroke is for stroke physicians, neurologists and those researching cerebrovascular diseases.