Speech and language disturbances due to subcortical lesions.
Over the last few decades, the number of studies concerning the role of subcortical structures in cognition has increased due to advances in neuroimaging. We describe the language and speech disturbances found in 16 patients with subcortical lesions (9 in basal ganglia and 7 in thalamus), evaluated by CT scan, MRI, and SPECT. Language assessment included the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, Boston Naming Test, and Token Test. Motor-articulatory alterations predominated in the non-thalamic group; in the thalamic group, there was a higher frequency of language alterations, especially in naming and auditory comprehension; verbal memory and attentional impairments may have contributed to this. We also found hypoperfusion in cortical language areas, and therefore participation of cortical dysfunction cannot be ruled out.
Radanovic
Marcia
M
Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil. radano@tecway.com.br
Scaff
Milberto
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon