Neurophonia is a term used in medicine to describe a condition where a person experiences abnormal sounds in their head or ears that are not coming from an external source. The word is composed of two parts: "neuro", which comes from the Greek "neuron" meaning nerve, and "phonia", which comes from the Greek "phōnē" meaning sound or voice. The proper spelling of "neurophonia" is /njʊərəʊˈfəʊnɪə/, with the stress on the second syllable. The phonetic transcription breaks down the pronunciation into individual sounds, allowing learners to better understand and remember the spelling of the word.
Neurophonia refers to a phenomenon and technique utilized in the field of neuroscience, specifically in the investigation and understanding of speech and language processing in the brain. Derived from the combination of the terms "neuro" and "phonia," neurophonia essentially involves the study of how speech sounds are generated, received, and decoded within the neural networks of the brain.
In more technical terms, neurophonia encompasses the examination of the neural mechanisms underlying speech production, perception, and comprehension. It involves assessing various aspects like the physiological and cognitive processes involved in speech, the functional specialization of brain regions in speech processing, and the communication between these regions. Neurophonia employs advanced tools such as brain imaging techniques (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging - fMRI) to monitor brain activity while individuals engage in speech-related tasks.
Through neurophonia, researchers aim to gain insights into the intricate neural processes that enable humans to effortlessly communicate through speech. The field explores questions regarding speech development, speech disorders, and the effects of multitasking on speech processing, among others. By investigating the underlying neural foundations of speech, neurophonia contributes towards enhancing our understanding of the human language system, which may have implications in areas such as speech therapy, neurorehabilitation, and the development of assistive communication technologies.
A spasm or tic of the muscles of phonation causing involuntary sounds or cries.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.