Aphasia is a group of speech-language disorders. The ability to form or sometimes understand language is compromised. This does not, however, affect an individual’s level of intelligence; rather, a specific part of the brain is disordered or damaged. There are three main types of aphasia, with lesser types within the main kinds. Here’s a look at some of the more common types of aphasia.
Global Aphasia
Global aphasia is one of the most serious types of aphasias. A stroke is one of the most common causes of aphasia, and global aphasia is not rare following a stroke. Global aphasia is an encompassing sort of aphasia. Rather than affecting one aspect of language, it makes it virtually impossible to form sentences or understand what someone is saying to you. Likewise, individuals suffering from global aphasia cannot read or write. It can get better, but if the damage that causes it is extreme, improvement may be limited.
Expressive Aphasia
Also called Broca’s aphasia or nonfluent aphasia, expressive aphasia occurs when Broca’s area in the brain is damaged or injured. This area is responsible for creating speech and is ultimately the seat of grammatical formation. While someone with Broca’s aphasia still understands the meaning of words, their ability to grasp them is limited. They also have extreme difficulty forming any sort of complicated sentences.
For example, rather than saying “I think I would like to go walk in the park this afternoon,” they might say “Walk park today.” Nonfluent aphasia is characterized as a stumbling, limited speech production, but these individuals can often understand speech pretty well. They may be able to read but have difficulty writing.
Mixed Non-Fluent Aphasia
Mixed nonfluent aphasia is similar to Broca’s aphasia with some significant differences. Like nonfluent aphasic patients, it is difficult for them to put sentences together and their speech is often short and terse. They do not, however, understand speech very well, and often have difficulty with both reading and writing. These skills are unlikely to develop to an adult level in someone with mixed nonfluent aphasia.
Wernicke’s Aphasia
Just as Broca’s aphasia corresponds to Broca’s area, Wernicke’s aphasia corresponds to Wernicke’s area. In the same way that Broca’s area produces speech that follows grammatical patterns and makes sense in a given language, Wernicke’s area is primarily responsible for the comprehension of vocabulary. Also called fluent aphasia, people with this form of aphasia have difficulty comprehending. On the other hand, they seem to have no problem expressing themselves -- with the slight exception that their sentences make very little sense. They may seem to follow rules of language, but the words themselves are incorrect or even made up. Wernicke’s aphasia makes it difficult to read, write, speak, and understand.
Anomic Aphasia
Anomic (meaning: a lack of normal state) aphasia is essentially a type of Wernicke’s aphasia, with less severe difficulties. Rather than making up words or being unable to use the proper words at all, anomic aphasics have difficulty finding nouns and verbs in particular. They have a tendency to speak in a roundabout way, trying to get their message across without the necessary access to a full vocabulary. They have no grammatical problems, can understand speech fluently, and generally read well, although writing can be a significant challenge in the same way as speaking.
Primary Progressive Aphasia
Primary progressive aphasia is another of the more severe types of aphasias. Instead of developing from traumatic brain injuries or strokes, it generally develops because of degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. While other forms of aphasia can often be managed through intensive speech-language therapy, primary progressive aphasia instead grows progressively worse. Over time, all forms of communication and understanding become inhibited. Other symptoms, like memory impairment, often begin to appear later on.
Neurological disorders often vary widely in exact symptomatic presentment, and so there are many other types of aphasias. It can be difficult to fit everyone into a specific category, but ultimately aphasias are categorized by a deficit in speaking, writing, understanding, or reading, without reduction of intelligence.
