Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the relationship between representations of verbal sound and non-verbal sound in the brain. Methods39 patients with brain injury and 39 healthy volunteers were recruited in this study. They were tested with the sound-verification task (a non-verbal sound test) and the sound attribute judgment task (a verbal sound test). The software developed by Crawford and Garthwaite was used for data analysis. ResultsGroup analysis revealed a positive correlation between the verbal sound test and non-verbal sound test. As for case analysis, some patients were impaired in the comprehension of verbal sound test, but normal in the comprehension of non-verbal sound test. In contrast, some patients were impaired in the comprehension of non-verbal sound test, but normal in the comprehension of verbal sound test. ConclusionVerbal sound and non-verbal sound are represented independently in the brain. In the process of language rehabilitation of aphasia, attention should not only be paid to verbal sound training, but also to non-verbal sound training.

Key words: brain injury, verbal sound, non-verbal sound, double dissociation