Broca’s Aphasia

What is Broca’s aphasia?

Broca’s aphasia is an expressive language disorder that affects how you speak (your fluency) but not your understanding of words (your comprehension). You might have trouble forming sentences longer than four words, finding the right words for a sentence or making the correct sounds to say each word. It may be easier for you to read than write.

The following are examples of Broca’s aphasia speech:

• “Want water now” instead of “I want a glass of water.”
• “Me go store buy milk” instead of “I’m going to the store to buy milk.”
• “Dog dog park” instead of “There are two dogs at the park.”

Broca’s aphasia, sometimes called expressive aphasia, is the most common form of non-fluent aphasia. It usually happens after brain damage from a stroke or traumatic brain injury.

What are the symptoms of Broca’s aphasia?

The symptoms of Broca’s aphasia affect your communication skills. You know what to say but can’t say it. You may:

• Have trouble forming sentences.
• Only use a few words instead of saying a full sentence.
• Rely on nouns and/or leave out linking words (conjunctions like “and,” “or” and “but”).
• Have trouble repeating phrases and sentences.

Broca’s aphasia doesn’t affect your intelligence. You might have trouble understanding long, complex sentences at times, but not always.

You may notice it takes a lot of effort to formulate words and sentences. As a result, this can significantly impact your mental health and your willingness to connect with others. It’s common to experience the following with Broca’s aphasia:

• Frustration
• Isolation
• Depression

Depending on what caused aphasia symptoms and the area of your brain where damage occurred, you may have additional symptoms beyond your speech. For example, after a stroke, you’re more likely to have trouble moving or paralysis on one side of your body. Stroke damage can also affect the muscles that control your arms and legs and you may have residual weakness.

What causes Broca’s aphasia?

Damage to the Broca’s area of your brain causes this type of aphasia. The Broca’s area is in your frontal lobe, on the left side of your head, near your temple. This part of your brain controls your speech and articulation.

The most common reason for damage to this part of your brain is an ischemic stroke.

Other possible causes include:

• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Brain tumors.
• Brain infections.
• Neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

How is Broca’s aphasia diagnosed?

A healthcare provider will diagnose this condition after a physical exam, neurological exam, language evaluation and testing. Your provider will review your health history during the exam. They may refer you to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for a language evaluation. A speech-language pathologist will assess your ability to:

• Name objects
• Repeat phrases
• Follow commands
• Read
• Write

Imaging tests can detect brain damage, which confirms a diagnosis. Your provider may order one of the following tests:

• An MRI
• A CT scan
• A PET scan

Since depression is common with aphasia, you may receive a referral to visit a mental health professional.

How is Broca’s aphasia treated?

Treatment for Broca’s aphasia varies based on what symptoms you experience.

Your healthcare provider will first recommend speech therapy. A speech-language pathologist will help you find effective ways to communicate. You may use a board with images on it and point to what you want or need. Your provider may teach you melodic intonation. This is where you learn to use musical tones (like singing) to express words or phrases more fluently than speaking.

Healthcare providers are studying new medications and treatment options for aphasia in clinical trials. These are tests on humans. Examples of available trials include transcranial stimulation and different types of medications.

If you experience mental health challenges with aphasia, your healthcare provider will recommend treatment options for depression, as well.

During treatment, your care team will work closely with your caregivers and loved ones so everyone can effectively communicate with each other. This can improve your outcome and quality of life.

Can Broca’s aphasia be prevented?

You can’t prevent all cases of this condition. You can, however, reduce your risk of conditions that cause aphasia like a stroke or traumatic brain injury by:

• Managing any underlying health conditions
• Following an eating and physical activity plan that’s healthy for you
• Protecting yourself from injury (like wearing a helmet during contact sports)

Your provider may make additional recommendations specific to your needs.

Can Broca’s aphasia be cured?

There isn’t a cure for Broca’s aphasia. Researchers are doing clinical trials to find new treatment options.

Can you recover from Broca’s aphasia?

Your ability to recover varies based on the severity of damage to the language processing area of your brain. Some cases may be temporary and you’ll make a full recovery, while others require lifelong management to help you communicate. You may notice language skill improvement within two to six months after a stroke. Speech therapy can help you maintain or increase these improvements over time.

When should I see a healthcare provider?

Talk to a healthcare provider if you or a loved one have symptoms of aphasia, especially after a stroke or accident where you had head trauma. If you have an aphasia or neurodegenerative condition diagnosis and your symptoms get worse, let your provider know.

What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?

You may want to ask your provider:

• What caused my symptoms?
• How often should I participate in speech therapy?
• Do I qualify for clinical trials?
• Should I talk to a mental health professional?