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.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA) 2200 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 actioncenter@asha.org http://www.asha.org Tel: 800-638-8255 Fax: 301-571-0457 |
National Aphasia Association 350 Seventh Ave. Suite 902 New York, NY 10001 naa@aphasia.org http://www.aphasia.org Tel: 212-267-2814 800-922-4NAA (4622) Fax: 212-267-2812 |
Aphasia Hope Foundation P.O. Box 26304 Shawnee Mission, KS 66225-6304 judistradinger@aphasiahope.org http://www.aphasiahope.org Tel: 913-484-8302 |
National Institute on Deafness and
Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) National Institutes of Health, DHHS 31 Center Drive, MSC 2320 Bethesda, MD 20892-2320 nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov http://www.nidcd.nih.gov Tel: 301-496-7243/800-241-1044 800-241-1055 (TTD/TTY) |
Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
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Last updated October 17, 2008