NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF LANGUAGE

Neuropsychological evaluation of language may be based on the psychome tric approach or on extensive exploration of modular functions accordi ng to cognitive or linguistic theory. Various approaches have several features in common, although some emphasize individual functions, and others explore syndromes in brain-damaged populations. Systematic asse ssment of language has been developed according to the goals of variou s clinicians and researchers. Beyond the diagnostic need, prognosis, a nd planning for therapy, there are important theoretical reasons to ha ve standardized aphasia tests and complementary experimental explorati ons of language deficit. Objective quantitation of deficit allows the study of the anatomical and physiological organization of language-rel ated structures. It also contributes to the relationship of language a nd other modalities of cognition, hemispheric lateralization, language development in children, and language dissolution in degenerative dis ease. The requirements, content, standardization, and application of a phasia tests are discussed.