The document discusses human language processing in the brain. It describes how Broca's and Wernicke's areas in the left hemisphere are typically involved in language production and understanding, respectively. It explains the Wernicke-Geschwind model of language processing and discusses two types of aphasia - Broca's aphasia which impairs expression and Wernicke's aphasia which impairs comprehension. The author relates their uncle's expressive aphasia to a brain stroke and gains understanding of their symptoms from the course.

1. Human Language
An example of Everyday Neurobiology
By John Gwak

2. Uniqueness of Human Language
• Unique in comparison to other form of communication
– Open-ended and productive
– Possible to create words and sentences
• Communication systems used by other animals
– Such as bees or apes
– Closed systems that consist of a finite, very limited

3. Language Processing in the Brain
• Broca’s Areas
– Paul Broca, 1864
– Left hemisphere (typically)
– Inferior frontal lobe
– Language Production

4. Language Processing in the Brain
• Wernicke’s Areas
– Carl Wernicke, 1874
– Left hemisphere (typically)
– Superior temporal lobe
– Language Understanding

5. Wernicke-Geschwind Model
Repeating a spoken word Repeating a written word
Arcuate fasiculus: a fiber bundle connecting Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas
Angular gyrus: a cortical region (parietal lobe) proposed by the W-G model to translate written words into internal monologue

6. Aphasia
• An inability to comprehend and formulate language
• Impaired in one of four communication modalities
– Auditory comprehension
– Verbal expression
– Reading and writing
– Functional communication

7. Broca’s Aphasia(Expressive aphasia)
• The loss of the ability to produce language
• Speech production is halting and effortful
• For example, a Broca's aphasic patient is trying to
explain how he came to the hospital:
– Yes... ah... Monday... er... Dad and Peter H... (his own name),
and Dad.... er... hospital... and ah... Wednesday... Wednesday,
nine o'clock... and oh... Thursday... ten o'clock, ah doctors...
two... an' doctors... and er... teeth... yah

8. Wernicke’s Aphasia(Receptive aphasia)
• Unable to understand language in its written or spoken
form
• Below is an example of an interaction between an
individual with severe receptive aphasia and a clinician:
– Q. "What is your speech problem?“
– A. "Because no one gotta scotta gowan thwa, thirst, gell,
gerst, derund, gystrol, that's all.“
– Q. "What does "swell-headed" mean?“
– A. "She is selfice on purpiten."

9. My Uncle has a expressive aphasia
• My uncle had a brain stroke when he was teenager. He
can understand most of spoken language but he can
not speak fluently. Also, he lost some of his intellectual
abilities due to the same stroke.
• Before I took this course, I did not know about exact
brain areas that makes him hard to speak. Through this
course, I got some knowledge and also better
understanding of my uncle’s symptoms.
• Expressive aphasia example (similar to my uncle):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aplTvEQ6ew

10. Final Comments
• This amazing course allows me to attain some basic
knowledge of human brains. Also, I can understand
some phenomena around me in an scientific aspect as
well. I realized that Neurobiology is almost everywhere
and every time around us even we are falling a sleep.
Thank you, Prof. Mason for a change to take this fantastic course !!