Aphasia

Aphasia is a communication disorder. It results from injury to parts of the brain that are responsible for language. Aphasia describes an impairment of the expression and/or understanding of language, as well as reading and writing. The sooner aphasia is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment. If you suspect you have this condition, contact your doctor.

Some causes of aphasia include:

• Brain infection
• Brain tumor
• Gunshot wound
• Other brain conditions
• Other traumatic head injury
• Severe blow to the head
• Stroke (the most common cause)

The following factor increases your chances of developing aphasia. If you have this risk factor, tell your doctor:

• Family history
• Middle-to-older age
• Prior history of transient ischemic attacks (TIA)

Aphasia itself is a symptom of an underlying problem. If you experience any of these symptoms do not assume it is caused by aphasia. These symptoms may be caused by other health conditions. If you experience any one of them, see your doctor.

• Problems talking
  • Anomia (word-finding problems; words "on the tip of the tongue")
  • Putting words in the wrong order
  • Speaking in nonsense
  • Speaking in short, fragmented phrases
  • Switching sounds or words
  • Using incorrect grammar
• Problems understanding oral language
  • Difficulty following very fast speech
  • Needing extra time to process language
  • Taking the literal meaning of a figure of speech
• Problems reading
• Problems writing

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. The neurologist who treats your brain condition will most likely recognize your aphasia and perform simple tests that require you to follow commands, answer questions, name objects, and have a conversation. You may then be referred to a speech-language pathologist, who will perform further tests to assess your speech and language skills.

Tests may include the following:

• Assessment of the strength and coordination of the speech muscles
• Blood tests
• CT scan —an x-ray that uses a computer to make images of structures inside the head
• Cerebrospinal fluid analysis —a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the lower back
• Comprehension tests
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) —a test that records brain activity by measuring electrical currents through the brain. This test may be done in some situations.
• Evaluation of speech
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the head
• Neuropsychological tests
• Reading and writing tests
• Swallowing tests
• Vocabulary and grammar tests

Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment will focus on:

• Aphasia symptoms
• The underlying cause of aphasia

Options for treating aphasia itself include:

Psychological evaluation may also be helpful.

The most common cause of aphasia is stroke. To help reduce your chances of a stroke:

• Keep existing conditions, such as diabetes and high cholesterol , under control.
• Consider taking low-dose aspirin, if your physician recommends you do so.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Exercise regularly
• If you drink, do so in moderation.
• Limit dietary salt and fat
• Maintain an healthy weight
• Monitor and control your blood pressure
• Seek immediate medical help if you experience symptoms of a stroke
• Stop smoking