title: Normal language in abnormal brains.
abstract: There is little doubt that, in the adult, specific brain lesions cause specific language deficits. Yet, brain localizations of linguistic functions are made problematic by several reported cases of normal language in spite of major brain anomalies, mostly, but not exclusively, occurring early in life. The signal cases are hydrocephaly, spina bifida and hemispherectomy. These cases are discussed and possible solutions are suggested: namely a vast redundancy of neurons and/or the role of microtubules as neuron-internal processors and key factors in signaling and guiding the growth and reconfiguration of the brain.
authors.affiliation: PO Box 210028, University of Arizona, Department of Linguistics, Tucson, AZ 85721-0028, United States. Electronic address: Massimo@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piattelli-Palmarini
mesh_terms: D038421:Hemispherectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000523:psychology*; D007802:Language; D010700:Phonetics; D012660:Semantics; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Brain lesions; Hemispherectomy; Hydrocephaly; Linguistic disabilities; Spina bifida