Close
Description
This module addresses the impact of brain injury on language and of the processes involved in recovery. The module focuses on aphasia, an acquired disorder that impairs an individual's ability to produce and/or understand spoken and written language. It commonly occurs after stroke, other acute brain injury, or less commonly as the first component of a progressive dementia.听 In each case, the brain's language network is damaged.
Improvements in communication skills arise from both spontaneous recovery and therapeutic rehabilitation, although many individuals will continue to struggle with aspects of communication for the rest of their lives. Living with aphasia affects life participation and often has a negative impact on quality of life and wellbeing for the individual and their significant others. A better understanding of how the brain processes language, adapts to injury and responds to experience is needed if we are to develop more effective methods for enhancing outcomes following brain injury and disease.
The module explores how frameworks, theories and models from a number of different areas, including neuroscience, cognitive neuropsychology and linguistics, can inform assessment and rehabilitation of aphasia. Findings from basic science, neurophysiology, imaging, and speech and language therapy are linked to increase our knowledge of the effects of the rehabilitative interventions at the level of the brain as well as their functional impact. Both emerging and established rehabilitative approaches are highlighted.
The module is taught in 10 lectures, one per week. Like any academic study at university level, the expectation is that in addition to scheduled teaching you will read materials suggested by lecturers and located yourself. The module is assessed via a piece of written coursework. The module is taught by academics who are also clinicians, each with expertise in a particular topic.
Indicative Topics
Indicative lecture topics (based on module content in 2023/24, and subject to possible changes):
- Recovery from aphasia
- Spoken word production
- Auditory processing and comprehension
- Sentence processing; Conversation
听
Module Aims
听
By the end of the module the students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The role of theoretical approaches from different disciplines
- The brain mechanisms involved in the recovery process
- Theories of single word and sentence processing in both receptive and expressive language, how these account for aphasia, and how they motivate different approaches to therapy
- The impact of aphasia on conversation, and how this may be remediated
- Factors that influence outcome
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 8th April 2024.
听