Aphasia and Language-Related Agnosia and Apraxia

Language-related agnosia and apraxia Pure word deafness A patient hears and reads normally but does not recognize any words. This verbal agnosia is analogous to visual agnosia. Agraphia A patient can move and read normally but can not write to dictation. This is a kind of apraxia. Alexia A patient can see and can write to dictation normally but can not read because the patient can not recognize words. This is a form of visual agnosia.

Aphasia Any language disorder that is the result of brain injury is called aphasia. Virtually all aphasias are the result of damage to the left hemisphere. Aphasia is more severe if the right hemisphere is also damaged. Very young children make much better recoveries from aphasia than adults. Left handers are usually somewhat less impaired than right handers.

Principal Symptoms of Aphasia All aphasia involves word finding difficulty, which is called anomia. In addition, aphasias may be classified into two main types: Broca’s aphasia Wernicke’s aphasia Conduction aphasia

Broca’s or Expressive or Nonfluent Aphasia Most obvious symptom is halting and labored speech. Function words and inflections are particularly difficult. Syntax is poorly understood. The patient is well aware of the problem.

Wernicke’s or Receptive or Fluent Aphasia (also Semantic Dementia) Speech is fluent, but meaningless, and contains a great deal of meaningless jargon. Patient has poor or no understanding of language. Often little or no awareness of the problem (anosognosia).

Conduction Aphasia Patient is unable to repeat phrases or sentences. Understanding of words and sentences is impaired.

Cortical Areas Associated with Language and Aphasia PHONOLOGICAL CONSTRUCTION & VERBAL COMPARISON SYNTACTIC PROCESSING VERBAL RESPONSE SELECTION PHONOLOGICAL –ARTICULATORY INTEGRATION SENTENTIAL RESPONSE SELECTION VISUAL – VERBAL ASSOCIATION VISUAL COMPARISON & CONSTRUCTION