Aphasia

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Basics

• Summary
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• Specifics
• Genetics

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Summary

Aphasia is a disorder caused by damage to the parts of the brain that control language. It can make it hard for you to read, write, and say what you mean to say. It is most common in adults who have had a stroke. Brain tumors, infections, injuries, and dementia can also cause it. The type of problem you have and how bad it is depends on which part of your brain is damaged and how much damage there is.

There are four main types:

• Expressive aphasia - you know what you want to say, but you have trouble saying or writing what you mean
• Receptive aphasia - you hear the voice or see the print, but you can't make sense of the words
• Anomic aphasia - you have trouble using the correct word for objects, places, or events
• Global aphasia - you can't speak, understand speech, read, or write

Some people recover from aphasia without treatment. Most, however, need language therapy as soon as possible.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

• Aphasia (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) Also in Spanish
• Aphasia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
• Types of Aphasia (American Heart Association)

Related Issues

• Speech-to-Speech Relay Service (Federal Communications Commission) - PDF
• Tips for Socializing with Aphasia (American Stroke Association)

Specifics

• Aphasia vs. Apraxia (American Stroke Association)
• Let's Talk about Stroke and Aphasia (American Stroke Association) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Primary Progressive Aphasia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: epilepsy-aphasia spectrum (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Aphasia (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Validity and features of spontaneous speech in acute aphasia as...
• Article: The involvement of left inferior frontal and middle temporal cortices...
• Article: Relative contributions of lesion location and lesion size to predictions...
• Aphasia -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• NIDCD Glossary (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)

Find an Expert

• Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders) (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish

Children

• Landau-Kleffner Syndrome (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Patient Handouts

• Communicating with someone with aphasia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Speech impairment (adult) (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish