Restoring and Augmenting Communication

Communication is both a receptive and expressive exchange of information from one person to another. In order to optimize communication, an understanding of the following interdependent processes is necessary. 

The sensory-receptive process involves auditory, visual, and tactile functions. Sensory inputs are processed in the brain at the occipital cortex (visual reception), at the temporal cortex (auditory reception), and at the somatosensory cortex (tactile reception) (Fig. la-c). 

The analysis-association process involves the processing of auditory, visual, and tactile stimuli into meaningful ideas known as semantics. This stimuli processing occurs in the cerebral cortex at the posterior portion of the dominant hemisphere s superior temporal gyrus, known as Wernicke s association area (Fig. Id). 

Words are selected (syntax and pragmatics) in the prefrontal and premotor region of the cortex, 95% of the time in the left hemisphere, known as Broca s speech area. (Fig. le) 

The cognitive process involves attention, memory, sequencing, problem solving, and executive functioning. 

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