Neurogenic Communication Disorders

• Communication problems resulting from brain or nervous system damage are known as Neurogenic Communication Disorders
• Aphasias, dysarthrias, apraxia of speech, right-hemisphere disorders, and dementia are all examples of Neurogenic Communication Disorders
• Skilled nursing facilities (SNF), acute care facilities (NCU), rehabilitation facilities, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, home health care, and hospice care are all treatment settings.

Cognition, Speech, and Language

• Cognition is the ability to process thought.
• Speech is the sounds the mouth makes to produce words.
• Language is a symbol set used to communicate meaning verbally, in writing, or via sign.

Divisions of Cognition

• Arousal is the ability to respond to stimuli, for instance, being startled by a loud noise.
• Orienting is the ability to direct attention to stimuli, such as paying attention to a speaker.
• Orientation is knowing who you are, where you are, and when you are, for example, state name, location, and date.
• Problem Solving means the ability to choose, apply, and evaluate a strategy to solve a problem.
• Inferencing is the ability to interpret overall meaning and come to a logical conclusion. For instance, inferring rain and grabbing an umbrella when seeing gray skies.
• Executive Functions are the ability to use lower-level functions to meet goals, such as making a detailed list to go to the store.

Attention

• Vigilance is the ability to stay alert, such as while driving at night.
• Sustained Attention means holding focus on a single stimulus, for instance, reading a book.
• Selective Attention means focusing while ignoring competing stimuli, for example, reading in a noisy place.
• Alternating Attention means switching focus between stimuli, like chopping veggies while stirring soup.
• Divided Attention means focusing on one task while attending to another.

Memory

• Working Memory means holding info for immediate processing, such as adding numbers in your head.
• Long-Term Memory is retaining info over months or years, for example, how to ride a bike.
• Procedural Memory is remembering action sequences, such as driving a car.
• Declarative Memory is remembering facts, for example, a major news event.
• Episodic Memory means recalling specific and recent events.

Divisions of Language

• Expressive Language is the ability to convey thoughts/feelings.
• Receptive Language is ability to understand spoken and written language.

Cognition, Speech, and Language Interactions

• Language deficits do not imply speech deficits.
• Speech deficits do not imply language deficits; for example, being unable to speak but able to write.

Healthy Aging: Changes in Cognition

• Orientation, sustained attention, basic divided attention, long-term memory, procedural memory, and executive functions for ADLs remain intact.
• Selective attention and complex divided attention may show a slight non-pathological decline.