NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND NEUROPSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SPEECH ACTIVITY IN THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FUTURE SPEECH THERAPISTS

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the neurophysiological and neuropathological foundations of speech activity as a complex integrative higher mental function. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing number of individuals with complex speech disorders of neurogenic origin, particularly in the context of contemporary social challenges, as well as by the need to update approaches to the professional training of future speech therapists within a neuro-oriented paradigm. The aim of the article is to generalize and systematize current scientific views on the neurophysiological and neuropathological mechanisms of speech perception and production, and to substantiate the feasibility of integrating neuroscientific knowledge into the professional training of speech therapy specialists. The study is theoretical and analytical, employing an interdisciplinary approach that draws on methods of analysis, synthesis, comparative analysis, and systemic-structural analysis of scientific sources. As a result, speech is conceptualized as a dynamic functional system ensured by the coordinated activity of sensory, motor, cognitive, and regulatory mechanisms, the disruption of which underlies various forms of speech disorders. The systemic nature of neuropathological speech impairments is substantiated, and the limitations of approaches that reduce speech disorders to isolated deficits are demonstrated. Particular attention is paid to the roles of neuroplasticity and interhemispheric interaction as the neurobiological basis of compensatory processes in speech. The theoretical significance of the study lies in conceptualizing speech as a multilevel neuropsychophysiological function, while its practical significance lies in substantiating the need to develop neuro-oriented professional competencies for future speech therapists to improve the effectiveness of diagnostic and corrective work in contemporary special and inclusive education.