PYC4813
ASSIGNMENT 2 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 8 AUGUST 2025
, Cognitive NeuroScience
Question 1: The Effect of Brain Damage on Language Abilities (20 Marks)
Brain damage can significantly impair language abilities, a phenomenon referred to as
aphasia. Aphasia results from injury to the parts of the brain responsible for language,
most commonly located in the left hemisphere. Two major types of aphasia that
illustrate these effects are Broca’s Aphasia and Wernicke’s Aphasia, each associated
with damage to specific brain regions and resulting in distinct language deficits.
Broca’s Aphasia, also known as expressive aphasia, arises from damage to Broca’s
area in the left frontal lobe. Individuals with this condition have difficulty producing
speech. Their speech is often non-fluent, labored, and limited to short utterances,
though comprehension typically remains intact. For example, a person with Broca’s
aphasia might say, “Walk dog” to express “I will take the dog for a walk.” This form of
aphasia demonstrates how damage to the motor planning areas for speech affects a
person’s ability to express language fluently, despite preserved understanding.
In contrast, Wernicke’s Aphasia, or receptive aphasia, is caused by damage to
Wernicke’s area in the left temporal lobe. This condition is marked by fluent but
nonsensical speech and significant impairment in language comprehension. Individuals
may produce grammatically correct sentences, but the content may lack meaning or
include invented words (neologisms). For example, someone might say, “The toaster
flew the mountain to pick up some grundle,” believing they are making sense. They are
typically unaware of their deficits, which differentiates Wernicke’s from Broca’s aphasia.
These two forms of aphasia illustrate how specific brain areas are specialized for
different components of language. Broca’s area is critical for speech production and
grammatical processing, while Wernicke’s area is essential for understanding spoken
language. Damage to these regions disrupts communication, with significant
consequences for social interaction, education, and quality of life. Rehabilitation often
involves speech-language therapy, which varies in effectiveness depending on the
ASSIGNMENT 2 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 8 AUGUST 2025
, Cognitive NeuroScience
Question 1: The Effect of Brain Damage on Language Abilities (20 Marks)
Brain damage can significantly impair language abilities, a phenomenon referred to as
aphasia. Aphasia results from injury to the parts of the brain responsible for language,
most commonly located in the left hemisphere. Two major types of aphasia that
illustrate these effects are Broca’s Aphasia and Wernicke’s Aphasia, each associated
with damage to specific brain regions and resulting in distinct language deficits.
Broca’s Aphasia, also known as expressive aphasia, arises from damage to Broca’s
area in the left frontal lobe. Individuals with this condition have difficulty producing
speech. Their speech is often non-fluent, labored, and limited to short utterances,
though comprehension typically remains intact. For example, a person with Broca’s
aphasia might say, “Walk dog” to express “I will take the dog for a walk.” This form of
aphasia demonstrates how damage to the motor planning areas for speech affects a
person’s ability to express language fluently, despite preserved understanding.
In contrast, Wernicke’s Aphasia, or receptive aphasia, is caused by damage to
Wernicke’s area in the left temporal lobe. This condition is marked by fluent but
nonsensical speech and significant impairment in language comprehension. Individuals
may produce grammatically correct sentences, but the content may lack meaning or
include invented words (neologisms). For example, someone might say, “The toaster
flew the mountain to pick up some grundle,” believing they are making sense. They are
typically unaware of their deficits, which differentiates Wernicke’s from Broca’s aphasia.
These two forms of aphasia illustrate how specific brain areas are specialized for
different components of language. Broca’s area is critical for speech production and
grammatical processing, while Wernicke’s area is essential for understanding spoken
language. Damage to these regions disrupts communication, with significant
consequences for social interaction, education, and quality of life. Rehabilitation often
involves speech-language therapy, which varies in effectiveness depending on the
