Aims

1 To provide background knowledge about neurological disorders in adults that can result in speech or language impairments
2 To understand the nature of acquired neuropsychological impairments and how these are assessed and how they impact on speech and language performance and therapy
3 To consider the role of the speech and language therapist in the assessment and treatment of dementia

This module introduces students to concepts and practices in clinical neurology and neuropsychology and application of these to the theoretical and clinical understanding and management of selected disorders. Whilst content relates to clinical neurology and neuropsychology in general, the discussion of content is tailored towards people from a speech language pathology background.

Outline Of Syllabus

Syllabus:
Clinical neurology
1 Stroke 1
2 Stroke 2
3 Head injury
4 The dementias: neurological aspects
5 Movement disorders
6 Multiple sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease & Myasthenia Gravis
7 Seizure disorders
8 Tumours and infections
9 Child neurology
10 Brain imaging
11 Aphasia, dysarthria, dysphagia round-up
Neuropsychology
1 Attention
2 Disorders of attention
3 Action control
4 Motor control disorders
5 Roles of the prefrontal lobes (focus on psychosocial and problem solving)
6 Frontal lobe disorders
7 Calculation
8 Acalculia
9 Speech and language therapy and the dementias 1
10 Speech and language therapy and the dementias 2
11 Speech and language therapy and the dementias 3

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Sessions are interactive lectures that consist of: introduction to and explanation of different neurological disorder complexes; theoretical perspectives on the selected neuropsychology topics; and student participation in discussing, interpreting, decision making with clinical data presented in the form of videos, test results, observational assessments which incorporate understanding of the material in the light of the different theoretical perspectives introduced. During private study students follow up reading, handouts and further learning materials posted on blackboard, including problem solving scenarios related to clinical aims.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The multiple choice questions present students with questions about aspects of the pathology, presentation and course of the selected neurological disorders in relation to speech and language (knowledge outcome 1); with issues from the theoretical underpinnings of neuropsychological disorders (knowledge outcome 3) and with case scenarios of neuropsychological impairments (knowledge outcome 2) to test out understanding of differential diagnostic and assessment issues in the selected disorders. A section of the paper tackles the pathology, clinical presentation and implications of changes for speech and language functioning in the dementias (knowledge outcome 4)