Higher‐level language deficits resulting from left primary cerebellar lesions

Background: Contemporary neuropsychological studies suggest that cerebellar lesions may impact upon higher‐level cognitive functioning via mechanisms of crossed cerebello‐cerebral diaschisis. Accordingly, right cerebellar lesions have been previously associated with linguistic impairments such as reduced word fluency and agrammatic output. Recently, however, neuroimaging investigations have also identified ipsilateral cerebral hypoperfusion as a consequence of cerebellar lesions, implicating a potential role for the left cerebellum in the mediation of language processes. Aims: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of left cerebellar lesions of vascular origin, on general as well as high‐level language skills. Methods & Procedures: Linguistic profiles were compiled for five individuals with left primary cerebellar lesions utilising a comprehensive language test battery. Individual scores relevant to each subtest were compared to a group of non‐neurologically impaired controls. The criterion for anomalous performance was established as ≥ 1.5 SD below the mean of the control group. Outcomes & Results: The findings of this research suggest that higher‐level language deficits may result from left primary cerebellar lesions. All participants demonstrated deficits on measures of word fluency, sentence construction within a set context, producing word definitions, and producing multiple definitions for the same word. Deficits were also noted for several participants on measures of understanding figurative language, forming word associations, identifying and correcting semantic absurdities, and producing synonyms and antonyms. Conclusions: The results presented challenge the notion of a lateralised linguistic cerebellum, supporting a potential role for the left as well as right cerebellar hemispheres in the regulation of language processes, presumably via cerebellar‐basal ganglia/thalamo‐cortical pathways.     

Coronavirus genotype diversity and prevalence of infection in wild carnivores in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Knowledge of coronaviruses in wild carnivores is limited. This report describes coronavirus genetic diversity, species specificity and infection prevalence in three wild African carnivores. Coronavirus RNA was recovered from fresh feces from spotted hyena and silver-backed jackal, but not bat-eared fox. Analysis of sequences of membrane (M) and spike (S) gene fragments revealed strains in the genus Alphacoronavirus, including three distinct strains in hyenas and one distinct strain in a jackal. Coronavirus RNA prevalence was higher in feces from younger (17 %) than older (3 %) hyenas, highlighting the importance of young animals for coronavirus transmission in wild carnivores.     

EXPLORATION OF MIGRAINE PAIN,DISABILITY, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY,AND COPING: A PILOT STUDY

As many as 29% of women suffer from migraine headache, yet it remains a poorly understood phenomenon. Our purpose in conducting this pilot study was to determine the relationships among migraine pain, disability, depressive symptomatology, and coping in women. A convenience sample of 34 women was recruited from university and workplace populations. Nineteen women met the International Headache Society criteria for migraine, while 15 women served as a nonmigraine comparison group. Participants completed eight instruments measuring migraine pain, disability, depressive symptomatology, and coping. The two groups of women were not significantly different on demographic variables. Migraineurs scored significantly higher for pain characteristics, disability, depressive symptomatology, and total coping scores.