Logoclonus: symptoms, causes and treatment

This alteration of language due to brain damage appears in several neurological diseases.

From psychology, communication is understood as an essential tool for getting to know others, understanding the world and expressing our thoughts. Verbal language is the main means of communication (although not the only one). Therefore, when it presents some kind of alteration, the person's life can be affected.

Logoclonus is a language disturbance in which the in which the syllable in the middle or at the end of words is repeated. It is associated with some pathologies such as Alzheimer's dementia, Parkinson's disease or Kluver-Bucy syndrome. In this article we will know it in detail.

Logoclonus: characteristics

Logoclonus is the spasmodic, compulsive and multiple repetition of a syllable in the middle or at the end of a word (e.g.: "I want to go to the supermarket, do, do, do, do"). (for example: "I want to go to the supermarket, do, do, do, do"). Sometimes it can also directly include words ("Saturday I'm going to the movies, movies, movies, do you want to come?)

Logoclonus is manifested by the patient in a totally involuntary and dystonic manner (dystonia involves sustained Muscle contractions in one or more parts of the body).

It consists of an alteration of the verbal (oral) language, and indicates organicity (organic origin of a disease), as well as other disorders such as palilalia. It is usually associated with Alzheimer's dementia, among others.

Verbal language

Verbal language is the main means of human communication and the main resource in the teaching-learning process. It allows us to communicate with others, to exchange information, to express our thoughts, wishes, opinions, etc.

In short, it is a tool that enables and enhances social relations, although it is not the only type of language in communication. is not the only type of language in communication (non-verbal language is also essential). (non-verbal language is also essential and complements verbal language).

In psychology, verbal language is explored in the context of a clinical interview, through observation and detailed analysis of what the patient communicates spontaneously and his or her oral responses to the psychologist's questions.

To assess verbal language disorders, different aspects of the patient's verbal expression will be analyzed (tone, intensity, vocalization (tone, intensity, vocalization, coherence...). In the case of logoclonus, this is easy to check, when the patient repeats in his speech the syllables in the middle or at the end of words.

Symptoms as a language disorder

The fact that alterations or disorders appear in verbal language entails a series of consequences in the life of the person who suffers from them, at a relational, personal, work, etc. level. Psychologically the person can be affectedand end up avoiding social situations or conversations due to embarrassment, for example. This is especially observed in dysphemia (stuttering).

Logoclonus is one of these disorders we mentioned, and can cause suffering or discomfort in the patient, although depending on the pathology associated with logoclonus (e.g. Parkinson, Alzheimer, ...), its meaning for the person and / or interference in his life will be different (also depending on their awareness of illness or degree of contact with reality, for example).

Thus, logoclonus is part of the speech-language disorders, specifically of the group of iterative or verbal stereotypies disorders. This group of disorders involves frequent and abnormal repetition of a syllable, word or phrase. In the case of logoclonus, it involves syllables and words.

Logoclonus is also a language disorder that affects its rhythm and course.

Causes and associated pathologies

Logoclonus is manifested in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's dementia and other conditions, especially pseudobulbar speech.especially in pseudobulbar and senile dementias. It can also appear in Kluver Bucy syndrome, a behavioral disorder caused by bilateral temporal lobe involvement.

Pseudobulbar affect

As we have seen, one of the pathologies where logoclonus appears is pseudobulbar involvement. Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), also called emotional lability, is a condition that is characterized by the presence of an exaggerated or inappropriate emotional expression in relation to the context in relation to the context and typically presents with episodes of laughter and crying.

This condition associated with neurological disorders involving brain damage, such as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), strokesuch as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Example

An example of logoclonus would be the following sentence: "when I walk, I am always wandering, I walk, all words have ando, therefore I want to keep walking, I walk".

In this case two syllables of the same word /"an"/-/"do"/ are repeated.

Other language alterations

Logoclonus, as we have seen, is a speech language disorder that is included in the group of iterative disorders or verbal stereotypies. In turn, within this group are included other alterations, such as:

1. Echolalia

Consists of involuntary repetition of a word or phrase just heard or just heard that has just been heard or pronounced. It appears frequently in Autism Spectrum Disorders).

2. Palilalia

Similar to logoclonus, although it is not exactly the same. It consists in the involuntary, spontaneous and monotonous repetition of the same phrase, word or syllable. the same phrase, word or syllable..

3. Verbigeration

It is the automatic emission of words or whole sentences, incoherent and without continuity.. It is frequent in demented states.

4. Coprolalia

It consists of the pathological tendency to to utter obscenities (it is frequent in the Tourette's Disorder). This tendency circumscribes all words and phrases considered culturally "taboo" or socially inappropriate.

Treatment

In addition to psychological therapy, treatment from a medical perspective depends on the type of brain injury behind the logoclonus.

Bibliographical references:

• Belloch, A. et al. (1995). Manual de Psicopatología. Volume I, Madrid, McGraw-Hill.
• Etcheverry, J.L. (2015). Use of Dextromethorphan/Quinidine in Adults with Pseudobulbar Affect. Iberoamerican Society for Scientific Information, 75(1), 83-90.
• Training and employment, UGT Andalucía. (2011). Specialized care for Alzheimer's patients. Module 2: Alzheimer's type dementia: neurological and cognitive aspects.
• Quiroga, F. (2013). Common psychiatric disorders in neurological diseases. Colombian Neurological Guides of the Colombian Association of Neurology.