|
What is Aphasia?
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)
10801 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852-3279
actioncenter@asha.org
http://www.asha.org/
Tel: 301-897-5700 800-638-8255
Fax: 301-571-0457
National Aphasia Association
29 John Street Suite 1103
New York, NY 10038
naa@aphasia.org
http://www.aphasia.org/
Tel: 212-267-2814 800-922-4NAA (4622)
Fax: 212-267-2812
Aphasia Hope Foundation
2436 West 137th Street
Leawood, KS 66224
judistradinger@aphasiahope.org
http://www.aphasiahope.org/
Tel: 913-402-8306 800-484-5474
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institutes of Health
Bldg. 31, Rm. 3C35
Bethesda, MD 20892-2320
nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
Tel: 301-496-7243 TTD/TTY: 301-241-1055
Source: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,
National Institutes of Health
|
