Nina- Actually it isn't the same as language impairment. The fact that they tried to "brush" something shows understanding at some level. The problem can theoretically occur for two reasons which are NOT language related. First, there is the possibility that the person understands the command and fails in their attempt to formulate an effective or correct response to the request. There could also be a successful plan arrived at and the actual execution of the plan could fail. There are a variety of ways to determine where failure occurs (for example, can the person execute the plan to "brush their teeth" when they think of it on their own). So it isn't a contradiction in the textbook. (well, that's the incomplete and simple explanation but there is also a more accurate/complex one but I didn't think that's what you wanted.) :) Tim
_________________________________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Albertson College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd. Caldwell, ID 83605 [EMAIL PROTECTED] teaching: History and systems; Intro to Neuropsychology; Child Development; Physiological Psychology; Psychology and Cinema -----Original Message----- From: Nina Tarner [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 4:25 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Subject: question on apraxia I am teaching a course on the brain and behavior and the other day in class we were discussing apraxia, which is a cognitive disorder where the person can no longer perform previously familiar movements with their hands, such as wavinf or brushing your teeth. I am using Josephine Wilson's text and I think I have found some conflciting information, which a student pointed out to me. The text states, "This disorder is not due to a motor dysfunction, however, or to an impairment in language comprehension..." Later on in the paragraph it states, "..., but they cannot perform the appropriate movements in response to a verbal command." Now, doesn't this seem conflicting to you? The text says that it is not due an impairment in language comprehension, but then later says a movement cannot be perfoemed in response to a verbal command? Isn't language comprehension and a vrebal command the same thing? I thought, as I was taught, that the problem laid in the fact that a person with this disorder couldn't understand what is being asked of them. For example, if I put a toothbrush in front of you and you are the one with apraxia, and I ask you to brush your teeth, you cannot perform this function because you do not understand what I am asking of you. Any help???? Nina Nina L. Tarner, Ph.D. Department of Psychology Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
