When Words Betray Us: Language, the Brain, and Aphasia

This book explores the relationship between language and the brain, focusing on aphasia, a speech and language disorder caused by brain injury in adults. It combines clinical, experimental, and theoretical approaches with neuroimaging to understand how the brain analyzes language and its parts, and how it can recover after injury or deprivation. The informal style makes it accessible to anyone interested in the complexity and beauty of language.

Format: Hardback
Length: 130 pages
Publication date: 20 April 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This captivating book delves into the intricate mechanisms of language, exploring its composition for speaking and comprehension, and the challenges that arise when the brain sustains injury. Its primary objective is to offer a profound glimpse into language and the brain through the lens of aphasia, a speech and language disorder resulting from brain injury in adults. By examining the brain's analysis of language components such as sounds, words, meanings, and their seamless integration, this book sheds light on the complex processes underlying language production. While its primary focus lies in clinical, experimental, and theoretical approaches to language deficits in aphasia, it seamlessly integrates this work with recent technological advancements in neuroimaging to present a cutting-edge portrayal of language and brain function. Moreover, it demonstrates how current computational models, reminiscent of neuronal properties, offer a unified framework for understanding how the brain processes language and its various parts, as well as how they can breakdown in accordance with these principles. Additionally, the book explores the intriguing question of whether language can recover after brain injury or when specific regions of the brain responsible for speaking, understanding, or reading are deprived of input, as observed in individuals with deafness or blindness. No prior knowledge of linguistics, psychology, computer science, or neuroscience is assumed, making this book accessible to a wide range of individuals with an interest in the intricacies and beauty of language, as well as those seeking to comprehend how language maps onto the brain. The informal style of writing ensures that the content is engaging, approachable, and conducive to a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Weight: 385g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030958473
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022