PHYSIOLOGICAL
UNDERPINNINGS OF
LANGUAGE, PROBLEM
SOLVING, AND REASONING
Thinking vs. Language

Is there a difference between thinking and
language? In other words, do you “think” language
and thinking should be studied separately or
together?
Language


Arbitrary system of communication that combines
symbols, such as words or gestural signs, in rulebased ways to create meaning
Allows for communication of information, as well as
social and emotional functions
Features of Language

Highly practiced and automatic process

Four levels of analysis that must coordinate
 Phonemes
 Morphemes
 Syntax
 Extralinguistic
information
Nonhuman Animal Communication



Animal species differ in the complexity and type of
communication
Most communication is geared towards mating and
aggression
Honeybees and vervet monkeys
Teaching Human Language

Many attempts to teach non-humans our language,
with mixed results
 Chimpanzees
 Bonobos

Humans appear unique in our ability to use
language in a sophisticated way
Aphasias Paved the Way


What is an aphasia?
2 important discoveries from aphasias
 Left
hemisphere is dominant in language
 Two key cortical areas have different roles in language
 Broca’s
Area
 Wernicke’s Area
**arcuate fasciculus is bidirectional
Modern Framework

3 large systems interact closely in language
perception and production
 Language
implementation system
 Broca
and Wernicke
 Analyzes incoming signals and ensures articulatory control
 Mediational
 Temporal,
system
parietal, occipital, and frontal association cortices
 Conceptual
 Remainder
system
of higher-order association cortices
Problem Solving and Reasoning

Involves reliable planning, judgment, and decisionmaking
 Requires
monitoring of external world, attention to
information, retrieval from long-term memory,
manipulation/integration of information, and output of
appropriate information.
 Also, suppression of unnecessary information and
inappropriate actions.

Altogether, this is called executive function.
Problem Solving and Reasoning


“Executive control”– mechanism or system
responsible for the coordinated operation of
various systems.
Prefrontal cortex is considered the important
structure for executive control
 Numerous
studies on damage of the prefrontal cortex
 Studies indicate a sensitivity, not a specificity for
executive function
Prefrontal Damage




Normal IQ
Normal long-term memory
Normal perceptual and motor skills
Deficits when intellectual operations demand
creation of a program of action
 Difficulties
when a choice needs to be made between
several equally probable alternatives
 Coordination of perceptual, motor, and memory
processes is deficient
3 divisions of prefrontal cortex



Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Orbitofrontal Cortex
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex


Involved with on-line processing such as integrating
different dimensions of cognition and behavior
Verbal fluency, maintain and shift set, planning,
response inhibition, working memory, organizational
skills, reasoning, problem solving, abstract thinking.
Anterior Cingulate


Involved in emotional drives, experience, and
integration
Responsible for inhibition of inappropriate
responses, decision making, and motivated
behavior.
 Lesions
related to low drive states
Orbitofrontal Cortex


Involved in impulse control, maintenance of set,
monitoring ongoing behavior and socially
appropriate behavior
Role in representing the value of rewards based on
sensory stimuli and evaluating subjective emotional
experiences
 Lesions
lead to impulsivity, aggressive outbursts, sexual
promiscuity, antisocial behavior.
The role of working memory



Involved with temporary storage of information
Also a mechanism of for manipulating and
processing stored information
This is an indication that working memory can be
considered a “workspace” for information
processing
3 Features of Prefrontal Mechanism
1.
Represent and process any kind of new information
2.
Access any kind of necessary information
3.
Provide information to various neuronal systems to
direct information processing
**The prefrontal mechanism must have flexible and
dynamic input-output relationships with various brain
systems