Evidence from aphasia for the role of proper names as pure referring expressions

Article Abstract:

Aphasia is a deficit in the ability to understand and use language, caused by disease or injury in the left half of the brain. The case of a 41-year-old man who suffered brain damage in a riding accident is discussed. His injury was to the left fronto-temporal region of the brain. The patient had no abnormal neurological or psychiatric signs following the accident, but showed mild difficulty in retrieving words. Over time it became clear that his only deficit was a dramatic inability to remember proper names. His aphasia was very rare in that it was highly specific to a category of words; he could retrieve common names with no difficulty but could not retrieve proper names at all. Other patients have shown the opposite tendency, a specific preservation of proper names. The injury of this patient revealed that the brain represents or accesses common names and proper names separately. The results suggest that proper names may be considered pure referring expressions, meaning they identify a person but have no logical relationship to that individual; they do not describe characteristics of the person. Thus proper names are considered meaningless labels by the normal brain, which has apparently developed an independent means of retrieving them.

Case studies, Aphasia, Communicative disorders, Communication disorders

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Boundary disputes

Article Abstract:

A description is presented of the history of phrenology and of the influence of Franz Joseph Gall in this field. The mapping of the brain and the large number of areas dedicated to vision are discussed.

History, Influence, Phrenology, Gall, Franz Joseph

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Behaviourally driven gene expression reveals song nuclei in hummingbird brain

Article Abstract:

Research is presented concerning the vocal learning ability of hummingbirds. The seven distinct areas of the brain which are active during the time a hummingbird is singing are discussed.

Research, Physiological aspects, Birdsongs, Hummingbirds, Letter to the Editor

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