What is Aphasia?

What is Apahsia
What is Aphasia

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Aphasia : When your Brain holds your words hostage

Language is a form of communication that unique to humans. Any disturbance in the ability to speak coherently and meaningfully is one of the most disabling conditions known to mankind. The term ‘Aphasia’ refers to the language disorder caused by damage to the brain. It is very important for people to know about Aphasia as many patients go undiagnosed and untreated. The Aphasia and Stroke Association of India estimates that aphasia affects an estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 people annually in India. Since there is no single reporting agency for aphasia and stroke, this number is highly underestimated than the number of actual patients in the country. In a study conducted in Kerala, India, only 10 (8.7%) of the 114 people interviewed had heard of the disability affecting language.

What is ‘Aphasia’?

Many structures in the brain are involved in understanding, processing and generating meaningful words. In many right handed individuals, the main areas that control speech are located in the left half of the brain. There are two areas in the brain that control speech, one helps in understanding what is heard and read and the other helps to generate meaningful words. Numerous brain cells connect these two areas so that there is relation between what is understood and what is spoken. In many left handed individuals, the speech areas are located on the left half of the brain; although, in some, they are located in the right half of the brain.

What causes “Aphasia’?

Any damage to the speech areas or the connections can cause aphasia. The most common causes are

  • head injury
  • stroke
  • brain bleed and
  • tumor.

What are the various types of Aphasia and their symptoms ?

The symptoms of aphasia depend on the location and extent of damage to the brain.

Broca’s Aphasia or non-fluent Aphasia/ Expressive Aphasia

People suffering from this type:

  • Can understand what is being spoken by others
  • May understand hand signs
  • Are able to speak short sentences but have very limited vocabulary and trouble finding they want.
  • May have difficulty reading forms, books and written material

A person with Broca’s aphasia may only be able to say three or four words at a time. People with this kind of aphasia have limited vocabulary and trouble finding the words they want to use. At the same time, people with Broca’s aphasia tend to understand speech. Broca’s aphasia is sometimes also called “non-fluent aphasia.” or ” Expressive Aphasia”.

Wernicke’s Aphasia/ Fluent Aphasia

Here speaking is not difficult- indeed it may seem like the affected is speaking very fast. But the speech is incoherent. I t also affects reading and writing.

Anomic Apahsia

People having anomic aphasia can’t find the words they want to use. For instance the right noun or verb. To compensate, they use similar words or use vague “fillers” like “thing” or “like”. They can understand speech and can usually read. But in writing as well, they have difficulties in finding the right words.

Global Aphasia

This is the most severe form of aphasia. People with global aphasia cannot speak many words and sometimes don’t understand speech. They cannot read or write. People may have global aphasia for a short period of time following a brain injury or stroke, and then move into a different type of aphasia as their brain health begins to improve.

Primary Progressive Aphasia

Primary Progressive Aphasia is actually a form of dementia where people lose the ability to speak, write, and read over time. It’s a gradual loss of language, moving from subtle to severe when in advance stages.

Other consequences of Aphasia

  • Patients are often frustrated because they are either not able to understand what is spoken or unable to speak meaningful words
  • The patient may be unable to communicate his/her symptoms
  • Often times, the caregiver may be frustrated because the patients do not understand what is spoken
  • In long term, aphasia may have a significant psychological impact on the person and depression.

How is Aphasia diagnosed?

A Neurologist, Neurosurgeon or a Speech and Language Therapist are able to diagnose aphasia and determine the cause. Common tests employed to diagnose the cause of aphasia are CT, MRI, lumbar puncture (to test the spinal fluid). A detailed evaluation by the Speech Therapist may be needed.

How is Aphasia treated ?

In many patients, treating the cause of aphasia (such as stroke, brain bleed or tumor) will result in resolution of aphasia. However, the extent to which the aphasia will improve may vary. Many treatments are available for patients with persistent aphasia. Typically, the Speech and Language Therapist administers these treatments to help patients overcome the disability due to aphasia. Apart from these, many computers and mobile phones have applications to help patients with aphasia get around their daily work.

Where can I get more information about Aphasia and its treatment?

Many organizations provide help to the patients and caregivers. Some of these are:

  1. Aphasia and Stroke Association of India (http://www.aphasiastrokeindia.com/)
  2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (http://www.asha.org/)
  3. National Aphasia Association (http://www.aphasia.org/)
  4. American Stroke Association ( https://www.stroke.org/ )

To join our Communication / Speech Practice Group for the Aphasia affected, please click here.

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