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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
Related Issues
- Speech-to-Speech Relay Service (Federal Communications Commission)
- 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
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epilepsy-aphasia spectrum: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Aphasia
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effect of speech therapy intervention program for non-fluent aphasic patients after...
- Article: A unified neurocomputational bilateral model of spoken language production in healthy...
- Article: Adaptation and psychometric data of the Exploration of Natural Metalinguistic Skills...
- Aphasia -- see more articles
Reference Desk
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NIDCD Glossary
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
Find an Expert
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Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders)
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Also in Spanish
Children
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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