Nervous SystemSamantha Thompson

aphasia

• a- = without

• -phasia = speech

• Aphasia = Inability to communicate verbally or in

writing due to damage of speech or language

centers in brain

aphasia

• Acute and progressive forms

• Causes of acute: stroke or head injury

• Causes of progressive: brain tumor, infection,

dementia

• Other causes

• Cancer

• Epilepsy

• Alzheimer’s

aphasia

• Language centers in

the brain

• Broca’s area: Speech

production

• Inferior frontal gyrus

• Wernicke’s area:

Speech reception

• Inferior part of temporal

lobe

Aphasia

• Symptoms

• Impaired ability to speak, write, read, or remember

words

• Treatment

• Individualized speech and language therapy

• Melodic intonation therapy (MIT)

• Uses melody, rhythm, and stress to improve speech

production

• Surgery

• Remove tumors

• Manipulate blood pressure in case of stroke

Ataxia

• a- = without

• -taxia = muscle coordination

• Ataxia = Lack of muscle coordination

ataxia

• Causes

• Lesions in cerebellum, dorsal spinal cord, or vestibular

areas (all involved in muscle coordination)

• Substances that impair nervous system

• Radiation poisoning

• Deficiency in vitamin B12 or thyroid hormones

• Heredity

• Degeneration of cerebellum, dorsal spinal cord, or

vestibular areas

Ataxia

• Symptoms

• Impaired coordination

• Stumbling and abnormal

gait

• Difficulty completing

fine-motor tasks

• Abnormal speech

• Repetitive eye

movements

• Headaches

Ataxia

• Treatment varies

depending on the

cause

• Physical and

occupational

therapy

• Surgical repair or

removal of lesion

or tumor