There are two basic aspects of language profile in TS: idiosyncratic and rule-governed knowledge. Idiosyncratic knowledge includes all arbitrary sound-meaning associations and word-specific morphological and syntactic information. Rule-governed knowledge underlies the combination of words and parts of words into complex words.
Several lines of evidence suggest that Specific Language Impairment is associated with deficits of grammar and of non-linguistic functions that depend on the procedural memory system. All idiosyncratic linguistic knowledge, such as of sound-meaning associations and irregular morpho-phonology (e.g., spring-sprang), is stored in the mental lexicon. Rule-governed complex forms, such as real and novel regular past tenses, are generally computer by the mental grammar (e.g., walk + -ed). Evidence suggests that lexical memory depends on the declarative memory system, whereas the mental grammar relies on the procedural memory system.
However, language in Tourette’s syndrome has not been thoroughly examined. Two studies are mentioned in the text, where eight subjects diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome and eight typically-developing subjects were tested.
Study #1
Past Tense Production Task: Subjects were asked to produce the past tenses of verbs presented in sentence contexts. Four types of verbs were presented: 32 consistent regulars matched to 32 irregulars; 16 inconsistent regulars; and 32 novel verbs. The test was conducted by two trained transcribers, with a third resolving rare disagreements. In this study TS patients averaged slightly lower than the average person in consistent, novel, and inconsistent regulars. However, TS patients scored better in irregular verbs section.
Study #2
Picture Naming Task: Sixty-four pictures were presented to the subjects for them to name. Thirty-two objects were commonly manipulated and the other 32 not commonly manipulated objects. The objects were rated, on a scale from 1 to 7, by seven adults from Georgetown University community. In this study the TS patients scored lower than the regular patients but not by a large margin.
In conclusion, the procedural speeding appears to be accompanied by a slight decrease in accuracy.
9 comments:
When I think of Tourette's, I think of all the movies that have made fun of the syndrome. Most characters with TS are screaming obscenities, while everyone else laughs. I know that not all people have that severe of TS. Some just have minor tics and problems with processing grammar.
If I had TS, I would try and participate in as many studies as possible. The more that doctors and TS researchers know about Tourette's, the more they can help.
People with Tourettes are sterotyped but what is shown in the media. Not many people have an understanding for it. Personaly my uncle has a form of this. He does not scream uncontrolable or anything else people tend to belive people with tourettes do. He has a small twitch where he blinks and clears his throat. Nothing anyone would classify Tourettes if they go by what is shown in the media.I think tests are great for helping out becuase this does not seem to be one syndrome many people are informed on.
I do not know anyone close to me who has Tourette's syndrome. I have seen people before who have had this disease, it is nothing like people talk about. For instance the movie "Duece Bigalo Male gigolo" there is a scene with a girl who has Tourette's and she screams out really loud, this is steriotyping the disease. I think that it would be great to learn more about this diesease so people can really understand how it works, and the effects of Tourette's syndrome.
Having seen some videos and movies about Tourette's syndrome, gave me a false sense of what the syndrome actually consisted of. Just like me not many people know exactly what tourettes actually is. There is a broad variety of the syndrome ranging from minor tics and twitches to screaming extremely loud obscene things.
Tourette's Syndrome is a complex syndrome that involves the motor and verbal skills in people. I have seen on movies where people have fast and involuntary speech and movement. The woman in "Duece Bigalo Male Gigalo" is what I think of when one mentions TS condition. Movies sometimes overrate these type of conditions in order to get a rise out of the audience.
I think it is also very fortunate that the language in people with TS is being examined. More emphasis needs to be placed on Tourettes patients. I think it is wonderful that in today's society, professionals are able to develop tests to help those individuals with special needs. This article has given me a better understanding of the TS condition.
When most people thing about Tourette's Syndrome that think of sudden burst of profanity, but that is not always the case. Tourette’s is a complicated condition and just like autism, it has levels or stages. There are so many conditions that need more research done on their causes, and symptoms. By researching these different conditions carefully educational breakthroughs can be discovered. One thing is true people should not judge others. There are many people who suffer from these different conditions and have mastered educational heights. We ought to respect everyone no matter what the circumstance.
I do not know that much about Tourette's but I just always assumed that it had to do with incontrolable tics not with grammar problems. I did not know that it could effect a person's use of proper grammar. I think the lack of accurate depictions of this syndrome and the lack of familiarity with this disease has lead people to make incorrect assumptions, like i did. I think that it is the media's responsibilty to present this disease accurately instead of just for laughs. They are only perpetuating false ideas. I hope that in the future people who are educated about the aspects of this syndrome come out and make the public more aware. I hope they give people a better understanding so that people with Tourette's will not be sterotyped like they are now.
Tourette's syndrome is a very sad and most unfortunate condition to live with. There is no reason for these people to be looked down upon or to be made fun of. It is very unfortunate that society automatically looks at these people like there is something so horribly wrong with them. I know that as a person with diabetes I get tired of sometimes being treated differently or being told that I cannot do something because of my condition and I am sure that some of the same barriers exist for these people as myself. If I had this condition I would no doubt try to learn as much as possible about it so that I could: be educated about my condition, educate others about the condition, and do my best to live with the condition.
I believe that the movies and stories have distorted our beliefs on what tourette's syndrome actually is. I think of characters like Cartman from South Park, or some comedies the movie will portray someone yelling and shouting vulgar comments. I have never known anyone personally with the disease, but i did know that how they are portrayed in the movies isn't real. I believe it is one of those diseases that most people do not know about, and people just tend to look over it, and view it as more of a comedy. It would be very hard to considerate if i suffered from the tics and twitches everyday the way the kids in the video had too.
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