Food: DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
SOME SELECTED DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
We turn now to a consideration of three different groups of diseases of the nervous system: disorders of language, movement, and memory. We have selected them because they are relatively common, they differ markedly from one another, and they illustrate many of the principles we have discussed.
Many of the symptoms we will discuss can result from software, as
well as hardware disorders; we will illustrate ways in which this distinction
can be made.
DISORDERS OF LANGUAGE: THE APHASIAS
Language is a uniquely human activity, and of vital importance to thought,
communication, and social life. Hence, disturbances in language are particularly
upsetting. Most major disorders of language have a well-defined neurological
basis, and are called aphasias.
Aphasias illustrate particularly well the principles of spatial and left-right
organization (see Geschwind, 1972; Marin, Saffran, and Schwartz, 1976;
and Adams and Victor, 1981, for general discussions of aphasia). We have already
pointed out that most language functions are localized in the left
hemisphere of right-handers; hence, aphasias in right-handers are almost
always the result of damage to the left hemisphere. Speech is controlled
primarily by neurons located in the part of the frontal lobe designated Broca's
area, in honor of the nineteenth century neurologist, Paul Broca, who first
described this syndrome.
Damage in this area leads to difficulties
in expression, as indicated in the case history in the last section. Perception
and comprehension of language are often more or less intact, but
speech is halting and labored, and many of the common small words are
omitted. This pattern of symptoms is described as an expressive aphasia.
The perception of speech is accomplished primarily in a part of the left
temporal lobe called Wernicke's area. Damage to this area results
in a receptive aphasia, often without any loss in ability to hear non speech
sounds.
The patient has difficulties in perceiving and/or
comprehending speech, and so has difficulty following instructions. Speech
is more fluent, however, than in expressive aphasia, and it may be more or
less normal. Note that in accord with the motor-front, sensory-back principle,
the speech production area is in front of the speech reception area.
Both Broca's and Wernicke's areas are connected to other parts of the
brain that allow for the extraction of the meaning of language. There is also,
however, a direct connection from Broca's area to Wernicke's area.
Damage to this nerve tract, a classic example of a disconnection syndrome
leaves speech production, speech perception, and the comprehension
of language more or less intact. But in the absence of the direct connection
from speech perception to speech production, these patients cannot repeat,
verbatim, a sentence that they hear, a condition called conduction aphasia
(Geschwind, 1995). They are still able, however, to extract the meaning of
the sentence, and thus they can follow verbal instructions (e.g., "put your
hands on your head").
There is another striking but rare aphasia that is just the opposite of conduction
aphasia. In this disorder, Broca's area, Wernicke's area, and the
connection between them are intact, but the speech perception and production
unit that they make up is cut off from connection with the rest of the
brain, due to extensive brain damage. This damage occurs because the
"ring" of brain tissue surrounding Broca's area, Wernicke's area, and their
connection is relatively far from the main artery that supplies blood to it.
This "ring" is therefore more vulnerable to the effects of low levels of oxygen
or other nutrients which result from exposure to some toxins, lung disease, food ETC.
For the Food addiction Treatment I recommend click this link:
http://theliberatormethod.com
We turn now to a consideration of three different groups of diseases of the nervous system: disorders of language, movement, and memory. We have selected them because they are relatively common, they differ markedly from one another, and they illustrate many of the principles we have discussed.
Many of the symptoms we will discuss can result from software, as
well as hardware disorders; we will illustrate ways in which this distinction
can be made.
DISORDERS OF LANGUAGE: THE APHASIAS
Language is a uniquely human activity, and of vital importance to thought,
communication, and social life. Hence, disturbances in language are particularly
upsetting. Most major disorders of language have a well-defined neurological
basis, and are called aphasias.
Aphasias illustrate particularly well the principles of spatial and left-right
organization (see Geschwind, 1972; Marin, Saffran, and Schwartz, 1976;
and Adams and Victor, 1981, for general discussions of aphasia). We have already
pointed out that most language functions are localized in the left
hemisphere of right-handers; hence, aphasias in right-handers are almost
always the result of damage to the left hemisphere. Speech is controlled
primarily by neurons located in the part of the frontal lobe designated Broca's
area, in honor of the nineteenth century neurologist, Paul Broca, who first
described this syndrome.
Damage in this area leads to difficulties
in expression, as indicated in the case history in the last section. Perception
and comprehension of language are often more or less intact, but
speech is halting and labored, and many of the common small words are
omitted. This pattern of symptoms is described as an expressive aphasia.
The perception of speech is accomplished primarily in a part of the left
temporal lobe called Wernicke's area. Damage to this area results
in a receptive aphasia, often without any loss in ability to hear non speech
sounds.
The patient has difficulties in perceiving and/or
comprehending speech, and so has difficulty following instructions. Speech
is more fluent, however, than in expressive aphasia, and it may be more or
less normal. Note that in accord with the motor-front, sensory-back principle,
the speech production area is in front of the speech reception area.
Both Broca's and Wernicke's areas are connected to other parts of the
brain that allow for the extraction of the meaning of language. There is also,
however, a direct connection from Broca's area to Wernicke's area.
Damage to this nerve tract, a classic example of a disconnection syndrome
leaves speech production, speech perception, and the comprehension
of language more or less intact. But in the absence of the direct connection
from speech perception to speech production, these patients cannot repeat,
verbatim, a sentence that they hear, a condition called conduction aphasia
(Geschwind, 1995). They are still able, however, to extract the meaning of
the sentence, and thus they can follow verbal instructions (e.g., "put your
hands on your head").
There is another striking but rare aphasia that is just the opposite of conduction
aphasia. In this disorder, Broca's area, Wernicke's area, and the
connection between them are intact, but the speech perception and production
unit that they make up is cut off from connection with the rest of the
brain, due to extensive brain damage. This damage occurs because the
"ring" of brain tissue surrounding Broca's area, Wernicke's area, and their
connection is relatively far from the main artery that supplies blood to it.
This "ring" is therefore more vulnerable to the effects of low levels of oxygen
or other nutrients which result from exposure to some toxins, lung disease, food ETC.
For the Food addiction Treatment I recommend click this link:
http://theliberatormethod.com