Open AccessArchitecture of Human Language from the Perspective of a Case of Childhood Aphasia — Landau–Kleffner Syndrome
Author(s) -
Koji Hoshi,
Kyoko Miyazato
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
biolinguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1450-3417
DOI - 10.5964/bioling.9055
Subject(s) - aphasia , psychology , perspective (graphical) , language development , cognition , language disorder , modularity (biology) , period (music) , cognitive psychology , linguistics , developmental psychology , neuroscience , computer science , artificial intelligence , physics , biology , acoustics , genetics , philosophy
This paper addresses Landau–Kleffner syndrome (LKS), a childhood aphasia, from the perspective of I-language and the critical period for first language acquisition. LKS involves a language disorder and behavioral disturbances resembling autistic spectrum disorders due to electroencephalographic abnormalities with continuous spike-and-waves during sleep over the temporal regions. Comparing LKS with other childhood syndromes, the architecture of language is explored through elucidating the linguistic mechanisms behind the language disorder in LKS on the basis of Hickok & Poeppel’s (2007) dual-stream model of speech processing. It is claimed that early onset LKS provides further support for the critical period for first language acquisition and modularity of mind (the faculty of language), and that verbal auditory input during the critical period is most crucial for language recovery and development in LKS. Considering that electroencephalographic abnormalities affect cognitive/motor functions, ameliorating neural dysfunction in the affected brain areas with proper application of trans-cranial direct current stimulation is recommended.