Aphasia is a neurological disorder caused by damage to the portions of the
brain that are responsible for language. Primary signs of the disorder include
difficulty in expressing oneself when speaking, trouble understanding speech,
and difficulty with reading and writing. Aphasia is not a disease, but a symptom
of brain damage. Most commonly seen in adults who have suffered a stroke,
aphasia can also result from a brain tumor, infection, head injury, or dementia
that damages the brain. It is estimated that about 1 million people in the
United States today suffer from aphasia. The type and severity of language
dysfunction depends on the precise location and extent of the damaged brain
tissue. Generally, aphasia can be divided into four broad categories: (1)
Expressive aphasia involves difficulty in conveying thoughts through speech
or writing. The patient knows what he wants to say, but cannot find the words he
needs. (2) Receptive aphasia involves difficulty understanding spoken or
written language. The patient hears the voice or sees the print but cannot make
sense of the words. (3) Patients with anomic or amnesia aphasia,
the least severe form of aphasia, have difficulty in using the correct names for
particular objects, people, places, or events. (4) Global aphasia results
from severe and extensive damage to the language areas of the brain. Patients
lose almost all language function, both comprehension and expression. They
cannot speak or understand speech, nor can they read or write.
Is there any treatment?
In some instances, an individual will completely recover from aphasia without
treatment. In most cases, however, language therapy should begin as soon as
possible and be tailored to the individual needs of the patient. Rehabilitation
with a speech pathologist involves extensive exercises in which patients read,
write, follow directions, and repeat what they hear. Computer-aided therapy may
supplement standard language therapy.
What is the prognosis?
The outcome of aphasia is difficult to predict given the wide range of
variability of the condition. Generally, people who are younger or have less
extensive brain damage fare better. The location of the injury is also important
and is another clue to prognosis. In general, patients tend to recover skills in
language comprehension more completely than those skills involving expression.
What research is being done?
The NINDS and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication
Disorders conduct and support a broad range of scientific investigations to
increase our understanding of aphasia, find better treatments, and discover
improved methods to restore lost function to people who have aphasia.
Organizations
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
2200 Research Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850
actioncenter@asha.org
asha.org
Tel: 800.638.8255
Fax: 301.571.0457
National Aphasia Association
350 Seventh Ave., Suite 902
New York, NY 10001
naa@aphasia.org
www.aphasia.org
Tel: 212.267.2814 800.922.4NAA (4622)
Fax: 212.267.2812
Aphasia Hope Foundation
P.O. Box 26304
Shawnee Mission, KS 66225-6304
judistradinger@aphasiahope.org
www.aphasiahope.org
Tel: 913.484.8302
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
31 Center Drive, MSC 2320
Bethesda, MD 20892-2320
nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
www.nidcd.nih.gov
Tel: 301.496.7243/800.241.1044 800.241.1055 (TTD/TTY)
Source: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,
National Institutes of Health
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 10/17/2008...#5502
