Deck 14: Human Communication

Question 1

Patient R.F. was unable to ________ after damage to her ________.

A) write; corpus callosum
B) read; left hemisphere
C) spell; right hemisphere
D) spell; left hemisphere
E) type; corpus callosum

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Verbal behavior is said to be a lateralized function of the left hemisphere in that

A) electrical stimulation of the left hemisphere has less effect on language than does similar stimulation of the right hemisphere.
B) language problems are more likely to be noted after damage to the left rather than the right hemisphere.
C) right-handed persons are more likely to have their language center located within the right hemisphere.
D) most language problems are noted after damage to the right rather than the left hemisphere.
E) the right hemisphere is most active during our verbal behaviors.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

With regard to handedness and hemispheric speech dominance,

A) over 90 percent of the population shows right-hemisphere dominance for speech.
B) left-hemisphere speech dominance is noted in 50 percent of right-handed people.
C) left-hemisphere speech dominance is noted in 50 percent of ambidextrous people.
D) over 90 percent of the population shows left-hemisphere dominance for speech.
E) right hemisphere speech dominance does not occur in left-handed people.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The left hemisphere is better than the right hemisphere at

A) perceiving spatial relationships.
B) analysis of events and objects that occur at the same time.
C) recognizing the emotional tone of a voice.
D) analyzing sequences of stimuli.
E) integrating spatial information as when reading a map.

Question 5

The key characteristic of aphasia involves a primary disturbance in ________ as a result of brain damage.

A) motivation to speak
B) speech production and comprehension
C) hearing
D) the inference of emotion from speech
E) map-reading and spatial understanding

Question 6

In order for a difficulty in the production or comprehension of speech to be considered aphasia, the disturbance

A) cannot be caused by paralysis of the vocal cords.
B) cannot develop after damage to the ear.
C) should not reflect a general sensory/motor deficit.
D) be noted in an unconscious person.
E) must develop after brain damage.

Question 7

Which of the following would be considered to be an example of aphasia?

A) a difficulty in speech production after transcranial magnetic stimulation
B) a stroke involving the left hemisphere impairing speech production
C) years of excessive alcohol consumption resulting in impaired language comprehension
D) a college sophomore showing impaired language comprehension after a night of binge drinking
E) a deficit in language comprehension produced by cannabis use

Question 8

Most of our knowledge about the physiology of language has been obtained by studying

A) the verbal behavior of non-human primates.
B) changes in blood flow to language areas in intact, normal people while they are talking.
C) language function in people who have suffered cerebrovascular accidents or strokes.
D) behavioral patterns in patients with brain tumors.
E) changes in verbal behavior after consumption of drugs such as alcohol or cocaine.

Question 9

After sustaining brain damage in an automobile accident, patient R.F.

A) could not read words aloud, but could detect spelling errors.
B) was unable to spell the names of common objects.
C) could type, but not read.
D) was unable to type, but could pronounce the names of common objects.
E) was able to remember the names of common objects.

Question 10

The brain regions that allow us to talk about our current or past perceptions are those located

A) within the hippocampus.
B) on either side of the corpus callosum.
C) in the posterior portions of the cerebral hemispheres.
D) in the primary and secondary motor cortex.
E) in the anterior portions of the cerebral hemispheres.

Question 11

Damage to the right hemisphere would most likely impair our capacity to

A) control the movements of our right hand.
B) understand speech.
C) produce speech.
D) read instructions aloud.
E) read a map.

Question 12

The basic function of our verbal behavior is to

A) exert behavioral effects on others.
B) allow us to share information with others.
C) allow us to accumulate knowledge from generation to generation.
D) are a form of social behavior.
E) allow others to judge our emotional state.

Question 13

Damage to the right hemisphere would result in problems in

A) spelling out technical words.
B) understanding the emotional content of a speech.
C) producing speech.
D) reading complex written instructions.
E) moving the right hand.

Question 14

In the Knecht et al. (2000) study of handedness and hemispheric speech lateralization, the measure used to determine hemispheric dominance was

A) changes in cerebral blood flow.
B) accumulation of radioactive 2-DG in cortical neurons.
C) CAT scans of brain activity.
D) fMRI scans of brain activity.
E) EMG studies of brain activity.

Question 15

The normal rhythm and stress of speech is called

A) prosody.
B) aural intonation.
C) circumlocution
D) syntax.
E) grammatical flow.

Question 16

The left hemisphere is better than the right hemisphere at

A) recognizing the emotional tone in a voice.
B) analysis of events and object s that occur at the same time.
C) perceiving spatial relationships.
D) producing language
E) analyzing geometric objects.

Question 17

The most common form of cerebrovascular accident is that produced by

A) phagocytosis associated with aging.
B) the rupture of a blood vessel in brain.
C) chronic abnormal neuron electrical activity.
D) obstruction of blood flow in a brain vessel.
E) overconsumption of alcohol.

Question 18

Damage to the right hemisphere would result in problems in

A) spelling out simple words.
B) analyzing complex geometric objects.
C) producing speech.
D) reading complex written instructions.
E) moving the right hand.

Question 19

The primary source of our knowledge about the physiology of language is studies of

A) blood flow to language areas in intact, normal people while they are talking.
B) non-human primates.
C) people who have suffered brain lesions.
D) patients with brain tumors.
E) changes in verbal behavior after the consumption of drugs such as alcohol.

Question 20

________ is a primary disturbance in comprehension or production of speech that is caused by brain damage.

A) Agraphia
B) Autism
C) Aphasia
D) Alexia
E) Dysgraphia

Question 21

The tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon is most likely to occur in a person with reduced volume of

A) the right frontal cortex.
B) the white matter of the fornix.
C) gray matter in the left insular cortex.
D) the left temporal cortex.
E) the periaqueductal gray matter.

Question 22

Broca's aphasia involves damage localized within the

A) arcuate fasciculus.
B) left posterior cerebral cortex.
C) inferior right frontal lobe.
D) dorsal portions of the planum temporale.
E) inferior left frontal lobe.

Question 23

________ are examples of function words, while ________ are examples of content words.

A) "Some," "the" / "apple," "fail"
B) "Throw," "heave" / "some," "the"
C) "Apple," "fail" / "some," "the"
D) "Person," "difficult" / "a," "in"
E) "Some," "the" / "a," "in"

Question 24

Imaging studies indicate that word pronunciation induces activation of the

A) right anterior insula.
B) periaqueductal gray.
C) left anterior insula.
D) reticular formation.
E) dorsal pons.

Question 25

Transcranial magnetic stimulation of the ________ made subjects ________.

A) primary motor cortex; experience difficulty in getting their words out
B) central nucleus of the amygdala; feel as if they could not control their facial muscles
C) right posterior association cortex; feel as if they could not control their facial muscles
D) Broca's area; have difficulty in getting their words out
E) primary motor cortex; experience agrammatism

Question 26

A person with Broca's aphasia would be expected to

A) show great difficulty in articulating words.
B) easily articulate words like "cigarette."
C) show fluent articulate speech.
D) be unable to answer yes or no questions about object functions.
E) easily name objects.

Question 27

Damage to the left precentral gyrus of the insula would be expected to result in

A) impairment in the spelling of function words.
B) apraxia of speech.
C) an inability to use prosody to communicate emotion to others.
D) problems in understanding abstract speech.
E) problems in asking for help of another.

Question 28

A ________ word is important for grammar, whereas ________ words convey meaning.

A) morpheme; function
B) function; content
C) content; phonological
D) content; function
E) phonological; function

Question 29

Damage to the left frontal association cortex, just anterior to the "face" region of primary motor cortex, would produce

A) averbia.
B) pure word deafness.
C) difficulty in spelling.
D) Wernicke's aphasia.
E) Brocas's aphasia.

Question 30

An important feature of Wernicke's aphasia involves difficulty in

A) using function words.
B) understanding speech.
C) using prepositions.
D) awareness of her or his deficits in speech.
E) articulating words.

Question 31

The speech deficit of ________ is a common feature of all forms of aphasia.

A) agrammatism
B) alexia
C) averbia
D) anomia
E) pure word deafness

Question 32

A person with Broca's aphasia would have the most difficulty in

A) spelling content words.
B) saying function words.
C) understanding speech.
D) recognizing complex geometrical forms.
E) saying content words.

Question 33

The primary deficit noted in Broca's aphasia involves

A) pure word deafness.
B) articulation difficulties.
C) difficulty in spelling.
D) averbia
E) agrammatism.

Question 34

The notion that aphasia involves structures other than Broca's area comes from studies in which

A) damage to the corpus callosum produces aphasia.
B) CAT scans show decreased blood flow in structures located in the right posterior cortex when subjects read words aloud.
C) damage to the head of the caudate nucleus can produce a Broca-like aphasia.
D) CAT scans show increased blood flow in structures located in the right posterior cortex when subjects read words aloud.
E) hippocampal damage produces aphasia.

Question 35

A difficulty in the use of word order, use of function words, and selection of appropriate word endings is termed

A) apraxia.
B) anosmia.
C) agrammatism.
D) articulation disorder.
E) anomia.

Question 36

A person with Broca's aphasia would be expected to

A) pronounce words correctly, but slowly.
B) be blissfully unaware of his or her speech difficulties.
C) produce fluent, but meaningless speech.
D) experience difficulty in speech comprehension based on word order.
E) have sustained damage to the right frontal lobe.

Question 37

The primary difficulty noted in Broca's aphasia involves

A) understanding speech.
B) spelling simple words.
C) saying content words.
D) producing speech.
E) recognizing the emotional content of speech.

Question 38

The speech disorder of the KE family has been linked to

A) a single gene on chromosome 7.
B) the use of recreational drugs such as cocaine.
C) a single gene on chromosome 23.
D) abnormal neural development of the posterior association cortex.
E) abnormal neural development of the right frontal cortex.

Question 39

The Dronkers (1996) study suggests that difficulty of speech articulation involves damage to the

A) postcentral insular cortex.
B) right precentral gyrus of the insula.
C) right posterior association cortex.
D) left precentral gyrus of the insula.
E) anterior temporal lobe.

Question 40

The speech deficit known as anomia involves

A) a difficulty in choosing the right word for a sentence.
B) the primary symptom of Broca's, but not Wernicke's aphasia.
C) poor word comprehension.
D) a difficulty in the pronunciation of words in a sentence.
E) an impairment in the spelling of words.

Question 41

Wernicke's aphasia can be described as

A) effortless production of meaningless speech.
B) mutism.
C) labored and nonfluent speech.
D) speech that lacks rhythm and tone.
E) fumbling for the right word.

Question 42

A person with pure word deafness is unable to

A) understand speech.
B) read lips.
C) speak.
D) understand nonspeech sounds.
E) hear.

Question 43

A spared ability in transcortical sensory aphasia is the capacity to

A) understand speech.
B) repeat back words heard from others.
C) produce one's own spontaneous speech.
D) answer questions.
E) follow verbal commands.

Question 44

Speech ________ is facilitated by mirror neurons that are activated by the sounds of words.

A) articulation
B) recognition
C) prosody
D) production
E) grammar

Question 45

Damage to the ________ induces ________.

A) hippocampus; averbia
B) right temporal pole; pure word deafness
C) amygdala; alexia
D) left temporal pole; pure word deafness
E) hippocampus ; alexia

Question 46

The anecdote about the speech deficits induced in a woman by carbon monoxide poisoning suggests that

A) the right hemisphere can take over language function after left hemisphere damage.
B) she could understand speech but not be able to repeat words.
C) speech comprehension and speech recognition involve different circuits.
D) the left hemisphere can take over language function after right hemisphere damage
E) speech comprehension and speech recognition share a common circuit.

Question 47

The speech disorder known as ________ is considered to be a receptive aphasia.

A) Broca's aphasia
B) ortho-apraxia
C) alexia
D) Wernicke's aphasia
E) dysgraphia

Question 48

Temporary disruption of ________ results in difficulty in understanding novel metaphors such as "conscience storm."

A) Broca's area.
B) the posterior language area
C) the orbitofrontal cortex
D) the right superior temporal pole
E) the left superior temporal pole

Question 49

Transcortical sensory aphasia can be produced by

A) damage to the posterior language area.
B) damage to a region ventral to Broca's area.
C) damage involving portions of the lateral temporal lobe near Broca's area.
D) damage to the posterior aspect of the fornix.
E) inactivation of the arcuate fasciculus.

Question 50

Wernicke's aphasia is caused by damage to the

A) inferior insular gyrus of the right hemisphere.
B) Broca's area.
C) superior temporal gyrus of the left hemisphere.
D) inferior occipital cortex.
E) frontal association cortex of the right hemisphere.

Question 51

The meaning of a particular word is most likely stored in

A) the association cortex.
B) Wernicke's area.
C) the primary auditory cortex.
D) Broca's area.
E) the lateral temporal cortex.

Question 52

Making judgements about a complex metaphor such as the "green lung of the city" activates the neurons of

A) the right superior temporal pole.
B) the orbitofrontal cortex
C) Wernick'e area.
D) the posterior language area
E) the left superior temporal pole.

Question 53

Pure word deafness can result from

A) bilateral interruption of signals from the primary auditory cortex to Wernicke's area.
B) bilateral interruption of signals from the posterior association cortex to Wernicke's area.
C) damage to Broca's area.
D) disruption of circuits that analyze slow-changing auditory signals.
E) damage to the right insular cortex.

Question 54

One way to think about transcortical aphasia is that this syndrome is

A) a mixture of pure word deafness and alexia.
B) a mixture of Broca's disorder and alexia.
C) Wernicke's aphasia without pure word deafness.
D) a mixture of transcortical sensory aphasia less pure word deafness.
E) produced by damage to the connections of the anterior language area.

Question 55

The key variable used by the left hemisphere in the analysis of speech sounds is that of

A) emphasis.
B) pitch.
C) sound timing.
D) tempo.
E) prosody.

Question 56

An important implication of transcortical sensory aphasia is that

A) the periaqueductal gray matter is required for speech production.
B) the lateral temporal lobe is key for speech repetition.
C) speech recognition comes after speech comprehension.
D) speech recognition and comprehension are different processes.
E) damage to the frontopolar cortex can induce aphasia.

Question 57

Making judgments about the plausibility of a verbal passage activates

A) the left inferior temporal pole.
B) the posterior language area.
C) portions of the corpus callosum.
D) parts of the right hemisphere.
E) Broca's area.

Question 58

The ________ forms a direct neural connection between Broca's area and Wernicke's area.

A) corpus callosum
B) anterior commissure
C) fornix
D) stria terminalis
E) arcuate fasciculus

Question 59

Transcortical sensory aphasia results from damage to

A) Broca's area.
B) Wernicke's area.
C) the primary auditory cortex.
D) the posterior language area.
E) the prefrontal cortex.

Question 60

One way to think about Wernicke's aphasia is that this syndrome is

A) a mixture of pure word deafness and alexia.
B) a mixture of Broca's disorder and alexia.
C) a mixture of pure word deafness and transcortical sensory aphasia.
D) a mixture of transcortical sensory aphasia less pure word deafness.
E) produced by damage to the connections of the anterior language area.

Question 61

Which of the following represents the flow of information for speech comprehension?

A) Wernicke's area -> posterior language area -> sensory and motor association cortex
B) posterior language area -> sensory memory cortex
C) sensory and motor association cortex -> posterior language area -> Broca's area
D) sensory memory cortex -> Broca's area
E) Broca's area -> sensory motor cortex

Question 62

A person who suffers from pure alexia

A) would also have agraphia.
B) suffers from a pure form of aphasia.
C) cannot read, but can recognize words spelled aloud.
D) is usually unable to choose appropriate words.
E) is unable to write.

Question 63

Which of the following is not a cue related to prosody?

A) variation of voice pitch
B) variation in the loudness of speech
C) using an active rather than a passive verb
D) variation in the voice tone
E) changes in speech rhythm

Question 64

Which of the following is true about prosody?

A) Prosody often serves as a vehicle for conveying action.
B) The left hemisphere plays a role in the production and perception of prosody.
C) Prosody is normal in people with Wernicke's aphasia.
D) Prosody is impaired in fluent aphasias.
E) Prosody is altered in anomia.

Question 65

The key deficit in pure anomia involves a difficulty in

A) speech comprehension.
B) producing fluent speech.
C) repeating words.
D) choosing the correct words to express an idea.
E) repeating nonwords.

Question 66

________ is activated when a person observes or imitates the finger movements of another person.

A) Wernicke's area
B) The arcuate fasciculus
C) Broca's area.
D) The anterior cingulated cortex
E) The primary motor cortex

Question 67

The speech of a person with ________ would be fluent but poor in naming, repetition, and comprehension.

A) pure word deafness
B) anomic aphasia
C) Wernicke's aphasia
D) Broca's aphasia
E) transcortical sensory aphasia

Question 68

Pure alexia refers to

A) difficulties in spelling.
B) the inability to visually perceive words.
C) word deafness.
D) the inability to write.
E) pure word blindness.

Question 69

Anomia for verbs is

A) an example of a fluent anomia.
B) a common symptom of Wernicke's aphasia.
C) a symptom noted after damage to the right posterior language area.
D) produced by damage to the arcuate fasciculus.
E) caused by damage to frontal cortex tissue in and around Broca's area.

Question 70

Damage to the right hemisphere impairs the production of prosody in that

A) prosody uses spatial cues to communicate meaning.
B) the right hemisphere controls the vocal cords.
C) prosody involves spatial perception.
D) production of prosody resembles singing, which is a specialization of the right hemisphere.
E) the right hemisphere is specialized for the analysis of word meaning.

Question 71

Which of the following represents the flow of information for speech production?

A) Wernicke's area -> posterior language area -> sensory and motor association cortex
B) posterior language area -> sensory memory cortex
C) sensory and motor association cortex -> posterior language area -> Broca's area
D) sensory memory cortex -> Broca's area
E) Broca's area -> sensory motor cortex

Question 72

Damage to the direct pathway between ________ and Broca's area conveys information about ________.

A) the posterior language area; spatial language meaning.
B) the frontal cortex; verb meaning.
C) the temporal cortex; word meaning.
D) Wernicke's area; speech sounds.
E) the temporal cortex; spatial language meaning.

Question 73

A person who sustains damage to the ________ will be unable to ________.

A) right temporal pole; name objects
B) arcuate fasciculus; repeat nonwords
C) posterior commissure; name objects
D) right temporal pole; produce fluent spontaneous speech
E) arcuate fasciculus; comprehend speech

Question 74

Another name for pure alexia is

A) pure word blindness.
B) agraphia.
C) pure word deafness.
D) apraxia of speech.
E) agrammatism.

Question 75

Which of the following is true about prosody?

A) It does not serve as a vehicle for conveying emotion.
B) The left hemisphere plays a key role in the production and perception of prosody.
C) It is normal in people with Broca's aphasia.
D) Prosody is disrupted in Wernicke's aphasia.
E) Its production is like singing and related to musical skills.

Question 76

_______ refers to the ability to recognize a person using their voice.

A) Autopagnosia
B) Phonopagnosia
C) Averbia
D) Alexia
E) Anomia

Question 77

American Sign Language (ASL) is similar to spoken language in that

A) the left hemisphere is activated during the interpretation of signs.
B) damage to the left hemisphere does not alter sign language comprehension or expression.
C) damage to the right hemisphere greatly impairs sign language comprehension and expression.
D) spoken language can easily be translated into ASL on a word-for-word basis.
E) left-handed persons show better sign and language expression than comprehension.

Question 78

Studies of patients with conduction aphasia have led to which of the following conclusions about the neural control of language?

A) The parietal lobe analyzes the sounds of words.
B) Wernicke's aphasia is not a form of receptive aphasia.
C) There are different neural paths for sounds and for meanings of words.
D) The meanings of words are stored in the right parietal cortex.
E) The arcuate fasciculus sends information about the meaning of words to the frontal lobes.

Question 79

Which of the following is true of stuttering?

A) Stuttering is more common in women than men.
B) Wernicke's area is overactive in stuttering.
C) Delayed auditory feedback improves the speech of a stutterer.
D) Stuttering is worsened when a stutterer sings along with a crowd.
E) Prosody is normal in stuttering.

Question 80

The key deficit noted in conduction aphasia is the inability to

A) produce fluent spontaneous speech.
B) repeat nonwords.
C) repeat words that have familiar meanings.
D) name objects.
E) name proper nouns.