Search

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric illness in which disorders of thought content are a prominent feature. The disruption of normal flow of thought, or “Formal Thought Disorder” (FTD), has been traditionally assessed through the content and form of patients’ speech, and speech abnormalities in schizophrenia were considered as a by-product of the disruption in conceptual structures and associative processes related to psychosis. This view has been changed due to increasing evidence that language per se is impaired in schizophrenia, especially its semantic, discursive, and pragmatic aspects. Schizophrenia is currently considered by some authors as a “language related human specific disease” or “logopathy”, and the neuroanatomical and genetic correlates of the language impairment in these patients are under investigation. Such efforts may lead to a better understanding about the pathophysiology of this devastating mental disease. We present some current concepts related to FTD as opposed to primary neurolinguistic abnormalities in schizophrenia.

Evaluation of speech and language may help in localization of site and extension of brain lesions, particularly in the absence of other neurological signs or radiologically defined injuries. OBJECTIVE: To verify what language tasks are best correlated to which brain regions, in order to develop a test for neurologists in emergency settings. METHOD: Thirty-seven adult first-stroke patients were submitted to cognitive and language tests, and then paired with thirty-seven healthy controls. Patients underwent CT and/or MRI for topographic correlation with test results (p

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether vascular aphasic syndromes can predict stroke outcomes. METHOD: Thirty-seven adults were evaluated for speech and language within 72 hours after a single first-ever ischemic brain lesion, in blind association to CT and/or MR. RESULTS: Speech or language disabilities were found in seven (87.5%) of the eight deceased patients and twenty-six (89.7%) of the twenty-nine survivors. Global aphasia was identified in eleven patients, all with left hemisphere lesions (nine mute; five deceased), consisting on a risk factor for death in the acute stroke phase (ρ=0.022). Age (z=1.65; ρ>0.09), thrombolysis (ρ=0.591), infarct size (ρ=0.076) and side (ρ=0.649) did not significantly influence survival. Absence of aphasia did not predict a better evolution, regardless of the affected hemisphere. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was similar for all patient groups. CONCLUSION: Global aphasia in acute stroke can adversely affect prognosis, translated into impairment of dominant perisylvian vascular territories, with mutism as an important semiological element.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the factors that can influence evolution of communication after a first stroke. METHOD: Thirty-seven adult patients were evaluated for speech and language within 72 hours after a single first-ever ischemic brain injury and later on. Patients who were comatose, with decompensated systemic diseases, or history of chronic alcoholism or illicit drug use were not included. Brain CT and/or 2T-MR exams were solicited for topographic correlation. Size of infarct was classified as large or small according to the TOAST classification. RESULTS: Patients who survived had lesser chances of presenting with aphasia or dysarthria 3 months after the stroke if the infarct size was small (p=0.017). Gender, age, schooling, aphasia subtype, infarct side and topography were non-significant in our sample. Subjects with global aphasia or lone cortical dysarthria had a slower evolution. CONCLUSION: Brain injury size was the most influential factor for neurological outcome at 3 months post-stroke.OBJETIVO: Avaliar os fatores que podem influenciar o desempenho neurolinguístico após um primeiro acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico. MÉTODO: Foram avaliados 37 pacientes quanto a fala e linguagem dentro de 72 horas após um primeiro infarto cerebral e posteriormente. Pacientes comatosos, com doenças sistêmicas descompensadas, história de etilismo crônico ou uso de drogas ilícitas não foram incluídos. TC e/ou RMN-2T cerebrais foram solicitadas para correlação topográfica. Utilizou-se a classificação TOAST para o tamanho do infarto (grande ou pequeno). RESULTADOS: Sobreviventes tiveram menores chances de apresentarem-se afásicos ou disártricos 3 meses após o evento agudo caso o infarto fosse pequeno (p=0.017). Gênero, idade, escolaridade, subtipo de afasia, lado e topografia da lesão cerebral não foram fatores estatisticamente significativos. Pacientes portadores de afasia global ou disartria cortical isolada evoluíram mais lentamente. CONCLUSÃO: O tamanho da lesão cerebral foi o fator mais influente para o desempenho neurolinguístico 3 meses após o evento agudo.

Copyright of Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria is the property of Thieme Medical Publishing Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria is the property of Thieme Medical Publishing Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria is the property of Thieme Medical Publishing Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric illness in which disorders of thought content are a prominent feature. The disruption of normal flow of thought, or “Formal Thought Disorder” (FTD), has been traditionally assessed through the content and form of patients’ speech, and speech abnormalities in schizophrenia were considered as a by-product of the disruption in conceptual structures and associative processes related to psychosis. This view has been changed due to increasing evidence that language per se is impaired in schizophrenia, especially its semantic, discursive, and pragmatic aspects. Schizophrenia is currently considered by some authors as a “language related human specific disease” or “logopathy”, and the neuroanatomical and genetic correlates of the language impairment in these patients are under investigation. Such efforts may lead to a better understanding about the pathophysiology of this devastating mental disease. We present some current concepts related to FTD as opposed to primary neurolinguistic abnormalities in schizophrenia.A esquizofrenia é uma doença psiquiátrica na qual as alterações do conteúdo do pensamento são uma característica marcante. A ruptura do fluxo normal de pensamentos, ou “Alteração Formal do Pensamento” (AFP) é acessada através da forma e conteúdo da fala do paciente. Alterações de fala e linguagem em esquizofrênicos eram consideradas como consequentes à ruptura de seus sistemas conceituais e processos associativos relacionados à psicose. Esta visão alterou-se pelo aumento nas evidências de comprometimento primário da linguagem na esquizofrenia, especialmente em seus aspectos semânticos, discursivos e pragmáticos. A esquizofrenia é atualmente considerada por alguns autores como uma “doença humana específica relacionada à linguagem”, ou “logopatia”. Os correlatos neuroanatômicos e genéticos do prejuízo linguístico nestes pacientes estão sendo investigados. Estes esforços podem levar à maior compreensão da fisiopatologia desta grave doença mental. Nesta revisão, apresentamos conceitos atuais sobre AFP e sua diferenciação das anormalidades linguísticas primárias na esquizofrenia.