Movement of a part of the body for the purpose of communication.

Transmission of emotions, ideas, and attitudes between individuals in ways other than the spoken language.

A concept that stands for or suggests something else by reason of its relationship, association, convention, or resemblance. The symbolism may be mental or a visible sign or representation. (From Webster, 3d ed)

Neurons that fire when an animal acts or observes the same action of another thus coding the motor response. They were originally discovered in the premotor and parietal cortex of the monkey and studies have shown that neurons that have a similar mechanism are present in humans. Mirror neurons are theorized to be related to social cognition.

Systematic study of the body and the use of its static and dynamic position as a means of communication.

A system of hand gestures used for communication by the deaf or by people speaking different languages.

The mimicking of the behavior of one individual by another.

Communication through a system of conventional vocal symbols.

Communication between animals involving the giving off by one individual of some chemical or physical signal, that, on being received by another, influences its behavior.

Figures or symbols identifying or representing organizations or societies.

A verbal or nonverbal means of communicating ideas or feelings.

A form of apraxia characterized by an acquired inability to carry out a complex motor activity despite the ability to mentally formulate the action. This condition has been attributed to a disruption of connections between the dominant parietal cortex and supplementary and premotor cortical regions in both hemispheres. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p57)

The gradual expansion in complexity and meaning of symbols and sounds as perceived and interpreted by the individual through a maturational and learning process. Stages in development include babbling, cooing, word imitation with cognition, and use of short sentences.

The language and sounds expressed by a child at a particular maturational stage in development.

A group of cognitive disorders characterized by the inability to perform previously learned skills that cannot be attributed to deficits of motor or sensory function. The two major subtypes of this condition are ideomotor (see APRAXIA, IDEOMOTOR) and ideational apraxia, which refers to loss of the ability to mentally formulate the processes involved with performing an action. For example, dressing apraxia may result from an inability to mentally formulate the act of placing clothes on the body. Apraxias are generally associated with lesions of the dominant PARIETAL LOBE and supramarginal gyrus. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp56-7)

The distal part of the arm beyond the wrist in humans and primates, that includes the palm, fingers, and thumb.