What are the causes of aphasia?

Aphasia is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write. The causes of aphasia are a damage or injury to language parts of the brain due to a stroke, head trauma, brain tumors, degenerative brain diseases or infections.

Depending on the location of the impaired brain area different types of aphasia emerge. The most common are as follows:

Nonfluent or Broca aphasia: the language network is affected in the left frontal area (Broca area). A person understands what other people say but struggles to get words out, speaks in very short sentences and omits words. A person might say "Want food" or "Walk park today." A listener can usually understand the meaning.

Fluent or Wernike aphasia: the middle left side of the brain (Wernike area) is affected. A person speaks easily and fluently in long, complex sentences that don't make sense or include unrecognizable, incorrect or unnecessary words. People with this type of aphasia usually don't understand spoken language well and often don't realize that others can't understand them.

Global aphasia: major damage to the front and back of the left side of the brain. A person has severe difficulties with expression and comprehension.

There are many other combinations of deficits, for example a person may be able to write but not to read.

Most people need many hours of speech and language therapy to recover to their full potential.

More Info: www.mayoclinic.org

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What are your thoughts on this subject?

9 Comments

Paunnie Gordon

To me the possibility of mental stress could bring about a psychological aphasia, as could a childhood trauma, so I really think all three are correct. Maybe your question could be tightened up a bit.

Emilia Kosterina

Marian Spitzig, if a child psychologist or a psychologist you ask says that all (of the above) causes aphasia his or her diploma is invalid. All forms of aphasia are the result of specific brain damage or injury. Emotional and psychological trauma and child neglect might affect language acquisition and produce various other issues connected with speech but they are not a form of aphasia and are treated very much differently.

chipdhf

FInally, a question where “All three are correct” is not the correct answer.

Pat Salloum

Aphasia is caused by damage to the language-dominant side of the brain, usually the left side, and may be brought on by: Stroke. Head injury. Brain tumor. Infection. Dementia.

karen twirly

filmnut, One of the reasons is that child neglect, such as locking a child away and not teaching them speech will result in lifelong inability to speak ot learn language. I don't think it's the same, but it can be a cause.

filmnut

Why do people think that “All Three could be the same as a Stroke or Head Injury. Obviously aphasia, is brought on by severe brain damage ( from within or without).

Emilia Kosterina

RamaKrishna Sarma Chivukula, no, not at all!

Emilia Kosterina

Darlene Davidson, no, I am sorry, but the right answer is NOT "all three is correct". Aphasia is a combination of a speech and language disorder CAUSED BY DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN . IF THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN THEN THERE IS NO APHASIA! The language and speech issues that might appear in cases of other answer options (emotional and psychological trauma and child neglect) but they are very different from any form of aphasia and are treated very differently. A case when a brain has "organic" deficit due to a physical trauma, a stroke or a degenerative disease is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from a case when a person has problems with speech due to psychological trauma or child neglect. THEY REQUIRE ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT THERAPIES. It is important to get the differential diagnosis. .