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PubMed1984

Apraxia and aphasia for a visual-gestural language.

Since signed languages utilize visual-gestural channels, their study allows a unique opportunity for insight into the ways language and gesture may be represented in the brain. The separability of apraxia and aphasia for sign language was examined in four deaf signers who had unilateral brain damage, three to the left hemisphere and one to the right hemisphere. These patients were administered various tests for apraxia and a test of pantomime recognition. The patient with damage to the right hemisphere was not apraxic as we would expect. For the patients with damage to the left hemisphere, all of whom were aphasic for sign language, strong dissociations emerged between their capacities for sign language and their nonlinguistic motor skills. The language deficits of these patients seemed related to specific linguistic components of sign language rather than to an underlying motor disorder or an underlying disorder in the capacity to express and comprehend symbols of any kind. This separation between linguistic and nonlinguistic function is all the more striking, because sign language and gesture are transmitted in the same modality.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Cortical language activation in stroke patients recovering from aphasia with functional MRI.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Two mechanisms for recovery from aphasia, repair of damaged language networks and activation of compensatory areas, have been proposed. In this study, we investigated whether both mechanisms or one instead of the other take place in the brain of recovered aphasic patients. METHODS: Using blood oxygenation level-dependent functional MRI (fMRI), we studied cortical language networks during lexical-semantic processing tasks in 7 right-handed aphasic patients at least 5 months after the onset of left-hemisphere stroke and had regained substantial language functions since then. RESULTS: We found that in the recovered aphasic patient group, functional language activity significantly increased in the right hemisphere and nonsignificantly decreased in the left hemisphere compared with that in the normal group. Bilateral language networks resulted from partial restitution of damaged functions in the left hemisphere and activation of compensated (or recruited) areas in the right hemisphere. Failure to restore any language function in the left hemisphere led to predominantly right hemispheric networks in some individuals. However, better language recovery, at least for lexical-semantic processing, was observed in individuals who had bilateral rather than right hemisphere-predominant networks. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the restoration of left-hemisphere language networks is associated with better recovery and inversely related to activity in the compensated or recruited areas of the right hemisphere.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Specific language growth in young children using the CLARION cochlear implant.

General and specific language growth was evaluated in 10 children who had received the CLARION Multi-Strategy Cochlear Implant during the clinical trial. The mean age at implantation was 37 months, and the children were followed for 18 months thereafter. Language comprehension and use were assessed with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Reynell Developmental Language Scales, and mean length of utterance (MLU). The mean vocabulary scores indicated a 42-month increase in 18 months. The mean language comprehension increased from 20.4 to 40.8 months, and language use increased from 21.5 to 38.1 months. The mean MLU increased from 1.8 words to 4.8 words during the test period. Results indicated the children learned language at the same rate as their hearing peers of the same language age (except for vocabulary, which was faster), but retained a language delay relative to their hearing peers of the same chronological age.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Signed and spoken language: a unique underlying system?

Sign language has only recently become a topic of investigation in cognitive neuroscience and psycholinguistics. In this paper, we review research from these two fields; in particular, we compare spoken and signed language by looking at data concerning either cortical representations or early acquisition. As to cognitive neuroscience, we show that clinical neuropsychological data regarding sign language is partially inconsistent with imaging data. Indeed, whereas both clinical neuropsychology and imagery show the involvement of the left hemisphere in sign language processing, only the latter highlights the importance of the right hemisphere. We discuss several possible interpretations of these contrasting findings. As to psycholinguistics, we survey research on the earliest stages of the acquisition of spoken language, and consider these stages in the acquisition of sign language. We conjecture that under favorable circumstances, deaf children exploit sign input to gain entry into the language system with the same facility as hearing children do with spoken input. More data, however, are needed in order to gain a fuller understanding of the relation of different kinds of natural languages to both the underlying anatomical representations and their early acquisition.

Brain↗

PubMed2005

Organization of receptive language-specific cortex before and after left temporal lobectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine brain activation associated with receptive language in patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) before and after an anterior temporal lobectomy using magnetoencephalography (MEG), and to evaluate which patients were most likely to show a change in the lateralization and localization of the mechanisms supporting receptive language and if such changes were associated with neuropsychological function. METHODS: Twelve patients with left TLE underwent preoperative Wada testing, and pre- and postoperative neuropsychological testing and MEG language mapping. The anatomic location of receptive language-related activity sources observed with MEG was determined by coregistering MEG data with structural MRI scans. Language laterality indices were calculated based on the number of reproducible activity sources in each hemisphere. The proximity of language-specific activity sources to Wernicke's area was also examined. RESULTS: Although the small sample size precluded formal statistical analyses, patients with atypical (bilateral) hemispheric dominance preoperatively were more likely than patients with typical (left-hemisphere) dominance to show evidence of increased right hemisphere participation in language functions after surgery. Patients with left hemispheric dominance preoperatively were more likely to show intrahemispheric changes involving a slight inferior shift of the putative location of Wernicke's area. Patients with bilateral representation tended to perform worse on neuropsychological test measures obtained both pre- and postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Interhemispheric functional reorganization of language-specific areas may occur in patients undergoing left anterior temporal lobectomy. Intrahemispheric reorganization may take place even when the resection does not directly impinge upon Wernicke's area.

Amobarbital↗

PubMed1998

Language of early- and later-identified children with hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the language abilities of earlier- and later-identified deaf and hard-of-hearing children. METHOD: We compared the receptive and expressive language abilities of 72 deaf or hard-of-hearing children whose hearing losses were identified by 6 months of age with 78 children whose hearing losses were identified after the age of 6 months. All of the children received early intervention services within an average of 2 months after identification. The participants' receptive and expressive language abilities were measured using the Minnesota Child Development Inventory. RESULTS: Children whose hearing losses were identified by 6 months of age demonstrated significantly better language scores than children identified after 6 months of age. For children with normal cognitive abilities, this language advantage was found across all test ages, communication modes, degrees of hearing loss, and socioeconomic strata. It also was independent of gender, minority status, and the presence or absence of additional disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly better language development was associated with early identification of hearing loss and early intervention. There was no significant difference between the earlier- and later-identified groups on several variables frequently associated with language ability in deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Thus, the variable on which the two groups differed (age of identification and intervention) must be considered a potential explanation for the language advantage documented in the earlier-identified group.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Developmental aspects of oral language in craniosynostosis].

BACKGROUND: Aspects of language development in craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis (premature fusion of the cranial sutures) has an incidence of 0.4 to 1/1000 newborns. Etiology for this congenital anomaly includes environmental and genetic factors. Regarding the form of presentation, it can occur in its isolated form or associated to other congenital anomalies. For this last group, acrocephalosyndactilies are observed. These are genetically determined conditions which present phenotypic similarity, including the following syndromes: Saethre-Chotzen, Apert, Crouzon e Pfeiffer. As all of these conditions affect the craniofacial development, it is possible to find anatomic and functional interferences which determine language delays and/or deficits. AIM: To revise the literature concerning aspects related to normal verbal language development and to describe the main characteristics associated to this condition in children who present Apert, Crouzon, Pfeiffer and Saethre-Chotzen syndromes. A systematic review on syndromic craniosynostosis and oral language was performed, consulting Medline, Lilacs and other important references on this theme. CONCLUSION: Several manifestations related to hearing and language have been detected in individuals with syndromic craniosynostosis. The most important are alterations in the sound conduction system, leading to hearing losses, and consequently interfering in language acquisition and development. For this reason, speech-language diagnosis and early intervention are recommended in order to eliminate or minimize damages in language acquisition and development.

Child↗

PubMed1999

Early speech and language development in children with velocardiofacial syndrome.

Speech-language impairment is one of the most common clinical features in velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). This report describes the speech and language development of four children with VCFS studied longitudinally from 6 to 30 months of age and compares their performance with three groups of children: (1) normally developing children, (2) children with cleft lip and palate, and (3) children with isolated cleft palate. The data show that young children with VCFS show a receptive-expressive language impairment from the onset of language. Further, speech and expressive language development were severely delayed beyond a level predicted by their other developmental or receptive language performance. The children with VCFS showed severe limitations in speech sound inventories and early vocabulary development that far exceeded those shown by the children with cleft lip and palate and children with isolated cleft palate. This study indicates that young children with VCFS emerge from a critical speech and language learning period with severe limitations in their communicative abilities. Further studies are required to describe the later course of these early speech and language impairments and to explore the relationship to learning disabilities described for older children with VCFS. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 88:714-723, 1999.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed2000

Child speech and language assessment and measurement.

The necessity of using standardized and norm-referenced tests in assessing speech and language of impaired children has now been recognized. Thus it seems useful to summarize based on the literature principles for founding such testing methods. These include: a) the necessity for a neuropsycholinguistic model that allows the speech-language pathologist to relate the observed linguistic behavior to underlying language processes, b) the knowledge of the psychometric characteristics required for language tests, and c) a discussion of some of the difficulties or controversed points from clinical practice. Among these latter the following are discussed: 1) measurement versus clinical observation, 2) screening versus exhaustive assessment, 3) language linguistic aspects versus pragmatic dimension, 4) formal tasks versus spontaneous language analysis, 5) linguistic versus metalinguistic assessment, 6) "knowledge-dependent" versus "processing-dependent" tests, 7) early detection of at risk children versus diagnosis of developmental language disorders. Diagnosticians are advised to be aware of the principles to respect when assessing child language.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence and developmental course of 'secret language'.

The prevalence and developmental course of supposed 'secret language' was examined in a cohort of twins and closely spaced singletons pairs, with systematic assessments at 20 months and again at 36 months. Two forms of apparent 'secret language' were examined: (1) shared understanding--speech directed generally but unintelligible to the parent, although apparently clearly understood within the child pair, and (2) private language directed exclusively to the other twin/sibling--not intelligible to the parent, but apparently clearly understood and used only within the child pair. Both occurred in singleton pairs, but the rate was much higher in twins. In most cases it seemed to be a developmental phenomenon occurring in the second year of life with the emergence of immature speech, and decreasing considerably over the next 16 months. A small group of children, primarily male twins, was reported to use a private language at 36 months. This group had poorer cognitive and language functioning, and was characterized by highly dependent relationships. Some aspects of the twins' home environment were less stimulating and less responsive, most probably reflecting the abilities and relationships of the children. A follow-up of these children when they were approximately 6 years of age showed that language outcome was poor for the subgroup (n = 4) who did not develop normal language alongside the use of a private language.

Environment↗

PubMed1975

Ethological approach to delayed language acquistion.

Language is initially a social or communicative event that develops from the nonverbal communication system existing between caretaker and child. While language in an adult speaker is used for reasons other than social communication, the communication function is the primary source for language acquistion, other language functions being derivatives of this basic function. A few studies were cited which suggest that the normal process of language acquisition may be conceived heuristically in terms of an ethological or psychosoical framework. This ethological approach to language acquisition suggests that noncognitive, interpersonal factors may be major contributors to the slow pace of language development among mentally retarded and autistic children. The implications of this approach were discussed in terms of the design of language-intervention programs.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2005

Parent concerns and professional responses: the case of specific language impairment.

BACKGROUND: GPs and health visitors are usually the first to be approached by parents concerned about their child's speech and language development in the early years. The role health professionals play in early detection of speech and language difficulties is therefore crucial to ensure timely referral for speech and language therapy. AIM: To examine parental accounts of health visitor and GP involvement in the assessment and diagnosis of their children's speech and language impairment. DESIGN OF STUDY: Qualitative retrospective interviews. SETTING: Two Local Education Authorities in Merseyside. METHOD: In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 parents. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Twenty per cent of interviews were analysed by an independent researcher and consensus reached on thematic content. RESULTS: In many cases, parents were the first to realise that there was something wrong with the speech and language development of their child. Parents reported that health professionals tended to underestimate speech and language problems, and failed to take parental views into account. In some cases, parents found that attending a specialist unit or hospital resulted in the children reaching school age before referral to speech and language therapy was made. In other cases, health professionals appeared to rely on the possibility of spontaneous recovery, and gave inappropriate advice to parents, which resulted in delayed referral to speech and language therapists. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals failed to use systematic, evidence-based approaches in responding to early parental concerns. For this group of parents, such an approach resulted in long delays in referral for specialist intervention.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

[Comparative hierarchic structure of the genetic language].

The genetical texts and genetic language are built according to hierarchic principle and contain no less than 6 levels of coding sequences, separated by marks of punctuation, separation and indication: codons, cistrons, scriptons, replicons, linkage groups, genomes. Each level has all the attributes of the language. This hierarchic system expresses some general properties and regularities. The rules of genetic language being determined, the variability of genetical texts is generated by block-modular combinatorics on each level. Between levels there are some intermediate sublevels and module types capable of being combined. The genetic language is compared with two different independent linguistic systems: human natural languages and artificial programming languages. Genetic language is a natural one by its origin, but it is a typical technical language of the functioning genetic regulatory system--by its predestination. All three linguistic systems under comparison have evident similarity of the organization principles and hierarchical structures. This argues for similarity of their principles of appearance and evolution.

Genetic Code↗

PubMed1995

[The relationship between spoken and written language in learning impaired people].

The aim of this study was to explore the interrelationship between spoken language, written language, and phonological processing. The empirical study was administered on nine Afrikaans-speaking, language-impaired children in grade two by means of accidental sampling. Conformable to predetermined objectives, spoken language parameters, written language parameters, and phonological processing parameters were identified. The subjects' level of functioning with regard to each parameter, and the interrelationship between these parameters were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed and described. The results of this study indicated significant correlations between spoken language, written language and phonological processing abilities of the selected language impaired subjects.

Child↗

PubMed1997

Language and Williams syndrome: how intact is "intact"?

It has been claimed that Williams syndrome (WS), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, is characterized by serious cognitive deficits alongside intact language. The syndrome is often used as a prime example of the modularity of an innate faculty for morphosyntactic rules. We challenge this claim and hypothesize that morphosyntax, although surprisingly good given WS level of mental retardation, is by no means intact. We make an initial test of this hypothesis through an analysis of the receptive language of a group of English-speaking WS individuals on a standardized morphosyntactic test. We then present an experimental study of expressive language that examines grammatical gender assignment in French-speaking WS patients. Despite a Verbal Mental Age selected to be higher than the chronological age of the young control group, these people with WS continue even in adulthood to show clear-cut deficits in their production of an aspect of morphosyntax that normal children acquire effortlessly very early. The results of the 2 studies, one focusing on receptive language and the other on expressive language, challenge the notion that comprehension and use of morphosyntactic rules in WS individuals are intact. The Within-domain dissociations regarding the use of grammatical gender assignment across several sentence clements and their difficulties in understanding embedded sentences-two quintessentially linguistic skills-suggest that we must rethink the notion of spared, modular, language capacities in Williams syndrome. We conclude that WS language follows a different path to normal acquisition and may turn out to be more like second language learning.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Some aspects of language development in normal-hearing children and children with cochlear implants.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents some important processes of normal child language acquisition and applies them to language acquisition data of children with cochlear implants. DATA SOURCES: Modern studies of language acquisition, covering various languages, have demonstrated a close link between linguistic and cognitive development. Sensorimotor intelligence provides a construction of reality on which the first grammatical structures are built, encoding a number of relations which hold between objects, persons, events, and localizations. When acquiring the more complex morphological and syntactic aspects of their mother-tongue, children use a number of characteristic information processing strategies which make some formal markings easier to learn than others. There is considerable variability across children with respect to rate of acquisition, the use of imitation, and analytic versus holistic processing strategies. Caregivers' language input can facilitate language acquisition, notably the use of expansions and reformulations, and a generally accepting style. EMPIRICAL STUDY OF CHILDREN WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS: Language acquisition data from two children with cochlear implants show great differences with respect to rate of acquisition, construction of the German case system, and syntax. Whereas one child discovers the regularities of the case inflectional system quickly, the other child appears to prefer holistic and rote learning processes and uses a sequential strategy for combining words. It is suggested that variability between children with cochlear implants may be due to different frequencies of actually processed linguistic items. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should compare language development in children with cochlear implants and those with normal hearing making use of psycholinguistic methods of research design and analysis.

Child↗

PubMed1997

Follow-up study of a right- and a left-hemispherectomized child: implications for localization and impairment of language in children.

Two hemispherectomized girls, one operated on the right, the other on the left, were followed from time of surgery until 9 and 10 years of age and compared with respect to course of language acquisition following surgery. At conclusion of follow-up, receptive and expressive language, phoneme perception and production, and sentence processing of the two hemispherectomized children were compared with those of two control groups of similar age, one developing language normally, the other language-impaired. The left-hemispherectomized child's abilities were similar to those of the language-impaired children; the right-hemispherectomized child's abilities resembled those of the language-normal children. Implications for localization of developmental anomalies in language-impaired children are discussed.

Brain↗

PubMed1986

Generalization of treatment effects by young language-delayed children: a longitudinal analysis.

This study investigated the generalized effects of a language intervention program on the structural aspects of 8 language-delayed preschool children's productive language. Subjects were observed in preschool free play for periods ranging from 12 to 24 months concurrent with receiving daily didactic language intervention. A total of 57 two-, three-, and four-word syntactic forms were taught to criterion. Generalized usage was determined from (verbatim) language samples collected during free play periods in the subjects' classroom. Forty-two (74%) of the treated forms generalized to the subjects' spontaneous language in free play. There was a relationship between the complexity and potential functions of the treated forms and their generalization to free play. This effect may have been related to the subjects' MLUs. Substantial changes also occurred in the subjects' MLUs, frequency of speaking, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test scores, and Houston Test for Language Development scores over the period of instruction. These measures suggested that 4 of the 8 subjects were functioning near the normal range at the conclusion of treatment. Implications of these and other results are discussed.

Child Language↗