This book provides a comprehensive review of new developments in the study of language processing and related neural networks in schizophrenia by addressing the complex link between psychopathology, language and evolution at different levels of analysis. Psychopathological symptoms in schizophrenia are mainly characterized by thought and language disorders, which are strictly intertwined. In particular, language is the distinctive dimension of human beings and is ontologically related to brain development. Although normal at the levels of segmental phonology and morphological organization, the speech of patients suffering from schizophrenia is often characterized by flattened intonation and word-finding difficulties. Furthermore, research suggests that the superior temporal gyrus and specific prefrontal areas which support language in humans are altered in people with schizophrenia. Brambilla and Marini bring together international contributors to explore the link between brain evolution and the psychopathological features of schizophrenia, with a focus on language and its neural underpinnings. Divided into three sections the book covers: * brain evolution and language phylogenesis * brain abnormalities in schizophrenia * psychopathology and schizophrenia. This theoretical approach will appeal to professionals including clinical psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, neurolinguists, and researchers considering the links between brain evolution, language and psychopathology in schizophrenia.

This book provides a comprehensive review of new developments in the study of language processing and related neural networks in schizophrenia by addressing the complex link between psychopathology, language and evolution at different levels of analysis. Psychopathological symptoms in schizophrenia are mainly characterized by thought and language disorders, which are strictly intertwined. In particular, language is the distinctive dimension of human beings and is ontologically related to brain development. Although normal at the levels of segmental phonology and morphological organization, the speech of patients suffering from schizophrenia is often characterized by flattened intonation and word-finding difficulties. Furthermore, research suggests that the superior temporal gyrus and specific prefrontal areas which support language in humans are altered in people with schizophrenia. Brambilla and Marini bring together international contributors to explore the link between brain evolution and the psychopathological features of schizophrenia, with a focus on language and its neural underpinnings. Divided into three sections the book covers: * brain evolution and language phylogenesis * brain abnormalities in schizophrenia * psychopathology and schizophrenia. This theoretical approach will appeal to professionals including clinical psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, neurolinguists, and researchers considering the links between brain evolution, language and psychopathology in schizophrenia.

Questo volume offre una sintesi dei piu recenti risultati della ricerca neuropsicologica e linguistica sulle modalita di elaborazione del discorso e della conversazione.

La trattazione degli argomenti viene integrata con tabelle riassuntive ed e arricchita da due appendici in cui sono rispettivamente forniti un modello operativo di analisi del discorso ed una serie di esempi tratti da soggetti normali e patologici.

Rivolto a studenti dei corsi di Laurea in Logopedia e Psicologia e specializzandi in Neuropsicologia, il volume fornisce anche un contributo importante alla realizzazione del programma riabilitativo piu adatto che permetta il massimo recupero funzionale del paziente."

Nonostante negli ultimi trent'anni anni numerosissime siano state le ricerche sperimentali aventi per oggetto la relazione tra emisfero cerebrale destro ed i processi di comunicazione verbale, nel panorama della letteratura nazionale non e presente un testo che riferisca dei frutti di tali ricerche.

L'obiettivo di questo volume, pertanto, e di riferire in modo completo lo stato attuale delle conoscenze sul contributo fornito dall'emisfero destro ai processi di comunicazione verbale. Nello specifico, vengono prese in considerazione le competenze prosodiche, semantico-lessicali, pragmatiche e piu latamente testuali. Attraverso la semplificazione del linguaggio e la schematizzazione dei concetti basilari gli autori hanno realizzato un efficace strumento didattico. Ipotesi e risultati, anche contrastanti, sono stati riportati con l'obiettivita e la competenza necessarie per un'opera che vuole informare oltre che formare, suscitare desiderio di indagine personale ed essere utile in ambiti professionali diversi."