Wernicke's area
From Psy3242
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[[Category:Brain areas]] | [[Category:Brain areas]] | ||
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| + | http://www.ling.upenn.edu/courses/Summer_2004/ling001/images/brain_localization.gif | ||
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== '''History''' == | == '''History''' == | ||
| - | This area was first identified by Carl Wernicke in 1874, after studying the aphasia caused by damage to | + | This area was first identified by Carl Wernicke in 1874, after studying the aphasia caused by damage to Broca�s area. He distinguished different types of aphasia, such as fluent aphasia and conduction aphasia that resulted from damage to this part of the temporal lobe. The location of Wernicke�s area is described as the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus on the left hemisphere, immediately behind Heschel�s gyrus. |
== '''Purpose''' == | == '''Purpose''' == | ||
| - | + | Wernicke�s area is responsible for linking speech sounds to stored representations of words. This area has neural pathways to Broca�s area, which is involved in the generation of speech, and the angular gyrus, which is important in understanding visually represented material. Wernicke�s area receives the processed speech sounds from Heschel�s gyrus, which come from the ears, to be referenced to actual words. | |
== '''Disorders''' == | == '''Disorders''' == | ||
| - | Damage to | + | Damage to Wernicke�s area causes language disorders, namely Wernicke�s aphasia. This results in problems with fluent but non-sensical speech, from the ineffective monitoring of self-generated speech; and difficulties in understanding spoken language, from damage to one�s auditory memory of words. The disordered speech is characterized by neologisms, non-words or made-up words, and paraphasias, semantically related but inappropriate words. |
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| + | http://www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/brocawernicke.jpg | ||
== '''Later Research''' == | == '''Later Research''' == | ||
| - | + | Lichtheim�s later research yielded a model that linked Broca�s area and Wernicke�s area on a triangle with the third point being a concept center, in order to map the different types of aphasia resulting from damage to the connections between the three. | |
Revision as of 04:23, 28 April 2008
Contents |
History
This area was first identified by Carl Wernicke in 1874, after studying the aphasia caused by damage to Broca�s area. He distinguished different types of aphasia, such as fluent aphasia and conduction aphasia that resulted from damage to this part of the temporal lobe. The location of Wernicke�s area is described as the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus on the left hemisphere, immediately behind Heschel�s gyrus.
Purpose
Wernicke�s area is responsible for linking speech sounds to stored representations of words. This area has neural pathways to Broca�s area, which is involved in the generation of speech, and the angular gyrus, which is important in understanding visually represented material. Wernicke�s area receives the processed speech sounds from Heschel�s gyrus, which come from the ears, to be referenced to actual words.
Disorders
Damage to Wernicke�s area causes language disorders, namely Wernicke�s aphasia. This results in problems with fluent but non-sensical speech, from the ineffective monitoring of self-generated speech; and difficulties in understanding spoken language, from damage to one�s auditory memory of words. The disordered speech is characterized by neologisms, non-words or made-up words, and paraphasias, semantically related but inappropriate words.
Later Research
Lichtheim�s later research yielded a model that linked Broca�s area and Wernicke�s area on a triangle with the third point being a concept center, in order to map the different types of aphasia resulting from damage to the connections between the three.
