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M05.11.03 Aphasia
Aphasia is a neurological disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate. It can impact speaking, understanding speech, reading, and writing. This condition often arises due to damage in the brain regions responsible for language processing.
Understanding Aphasia
- Symptoms:
- Difficulty finding words (anomia)
- Difficulty forming complete sentences (agrammatism)
- Slurred or slow speech (dysarthria)
- Difficulty understanding spoken language (receptive aphasia)
- Difficulty reading (alexia)
- Difficulty writing (agraphia)
- Difficulty repeating words or phrases
Lesion Location and Associated Deficits:
- Dominant Parietal Lobe Dysfunction (most right-handed and some left-handed people):
- Language disorders (aphasia, alexia)
- Gerstmann syndrome (impaired calculation, writing, finger identification, and right-left confusion)
- Apraxia (difficulty performing purposeful movements)
- Non-dominant Parietal Lobe Dysfunction:
- Hemispatial neglect (inattention to one side of the body or space)
- Sensory and visual inattention
- Difficulty with constructional tasks and dressing (worse with right-sided lesions)
Types of Aphasia:
Aphasia can be broadly categorized into two main types: fluent aphasia and non-fluent aphasia.
- Non-fluent aphasia:
- Characterized by limited ability to produce speech, often with effort and few words.
- Subtypes include:
- Broca’s aphasia (inability to repeat words or sentences)
- Transcortical motor aphasia (can repeat but difficulty with spontaneous speech)
- Mixed non-fluent aphasia (some ability to produce speech)
- Global aphasia (most severe, with minimal comprehension or expression)
- Fluent aphasia:
- Characterized by the ability to produce connected speech.
- Subtypes include:
- Conduction aphasia (frequent errors in sounds, e.g., “poon” for “spoon”)
- Anomic aphasia (difficulty retrieving words, often described as a “tip-of-the-tongue” feeling)
- Wernicke’s aphasia (inability to repeat words or sentences, with speech that sounds nonsensical)
- Transcortical sensory aphasia (can repeat but speech lacks meaning)
Table 1: Summary of Aphasia Types
| Type of Aphasia | Speech Production | Speech Comprehension | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broca’s Aphasia | Non-fluent, effortful, limited words | Relatively preserved | May be impaired | May be impaired |
| Transcortical Motor Aphasia | Non-fluent, may be able to repeat | Relatively preserved | May be impaired | May be impaired |
| Mixed Non-fluent Aphasia | Variable | Variable | Variable | Variable |
| Global Aphasia | Very limited | Very limited | Severely impaired | Severely impaired |
| Conduction Aphasia | Fluent, with errors in sounds | Relatively preserved | May be impaired | May be impaired |
| Anomic Aphasia | Fluent | Relatively preserved | May be impaired | May be impaired |
| Wernicke’s Aphasia | Fluent, nonsensical | Impaired | Impaired | Impaired |
| Transcortical Sensory Aphasia | Fluent, repetitive, lacks meaning | Impaired | Impaired | Impaired |
Points to Remember
- Aphasia can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and ability to communicate.
- The type and severity of aphasia depend on the location and extent of brain damage.
- Speech therapy is a cornerstone of aphasia rehabilitation, helping individuals regain communication skills.
- Alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) strategies can support individuals with severe aphasia.
Bibliography
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). (2023). Aphasia. https://www.asha.org/
- National Aphasia Association. (2023). What is Aphasia? https://aphasia.org/
- Mayo Clinic. (2022). Aphasia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aphasia/symptoms-causes/syc-20369518