Aphasia

Question 1

What are some characteristics of Broca’s Aphasia?

Answer 1

Generally intact comprehension but low expression. Speech is laborious and full os pauses. Broca’s patients often use telegraphic speech, lacking functor words. They are aware of their deficits.

Question 2

What are some characteristics of Wernicke’s Aphasia?

Answer 2

Impaired comprehension but fluent, easy speech (pauses only due to word finding difficulties). Their speech, however, has little to no content. Prosody and articulation are generally normal. Oblivious to their deficits. May be aware of communication breakdown, but no clue as to why.

Question 3

What are some characteristics of Global Aphasia?

Answer 3

Severe impairment in all modalities; even the simplest tasks are difficult. Can perform non-verbal tasks.

Question 4

What are some characteristics of Conduction Aphasia?

Answer 4

Damage to the arcuate fasciculus. The defining characteristic is that they cannot repeat. Fluent speech, intact comprehension and spontaneous expression. Very aware of deficits leading to frustration.

Question 5

What are some characteristics of Transcortical Aphasia (Isolation Syndrome)?

Answer 5

Generally caused by hypoperfulsion (damage to the watershed area) of the perisylvian area. Defined by preserved repetition capabilities (Broca’s, Wernicke’s, and arcuate fasciculus intact), but other language functions impaired. There are 3 types.

Question 6

What are some characteristics of Transcortical Motor Aphasia?

Answer 6

Damage to anterior, superior frontal lobe. Reduced speech output - can’t get started. Can repeat well if they can get started. Comprehension intact.

Question 7

What are some characteristics of Transcortical Sensory Aphasia?

Answer 7

Damage to high parietal lobe. Repeats well, sometimes too much. Echolalic. Deficits in auditory and reading comprehension. Unaware of errors.

Question 8

What are some characteristics of Mixed Transcortical Aphasia?

Answer 8

Damage spares Broca’s, Wernicke’s, and arcuate fasciculus, but isolates them from other parts of the brain. They repeat like a parrot. Can finish stereotyped phrases. Cannot comprehend spoken language, name objects, read, or write.

Question 9

What are some characteristics of Anomic Aphasia?

Answer 9

Etiology is multiple legions in a variety of areas. Speech is generally fluent with frequent pauses for word finding. May have mild comprehension impairments. There are 4 types.

Question 10

What are some characteristics of Frontal Anomia?

Answer 10

Like a mild version of Transcortical Motor Aphasia. Word recall aided with phonetic cueing.

Question 11

What are some characteristics of Anomia of the Angular Gyrus?

Answer 11

Word retrieval problems and failure to recognize verbal cues. Will repeat words without realizing it.

Question 12

What are some characteristics of Anomia of the Inferior Temporal Gyrus?

Answer 12

Fluent speech, near normal reading and writing, but severe word retrieval problems.

Question 13

What are some characteristics of Anomia as an Expression of Residual Aphasia?

Answer 13

More accurately described as residual aphasia. This is what is commonly seen after a patient recovers from aphasia: near-normal language functioning but continued mild to moderate word retrieval deficits.

Question 14

What are some characteristics of Primary Progressive Aphasia?

Answer 14

Progressive language deterioration despite no identifiable stroke, tumor, etc. Intact cognition, preserves independent ADLs. May “signal” oncoming Alzheimer’s. Patient is often aware of the problem before anyone else.

Question 15

What is Phonetic Dissolution?

Answer 15

Vowel distortion and/or consonant misarticulation secondary to increased effort of production. Seen in Broca’s patients. Sort of a mild apraxia.

Question 16

What is Verbal Paraphasia?

Answer 16

Substituting one word for another.

Question 17

What is Literal Paraphasia?

Answer 17

Substituting one sound for another within a word.

Question 18

What are Neologisms?

Answer 18

Nonwords used in place of real words.

Question 19

What is Jargon?

Answer 19

A string of neologisms often with a few real words sprinkled in.

Question 20

What is Empty Speech?

Answer 20

Speech that uses real words, but contains little to no content. Uses a lot of filler words like “stuff” or “thing.”

Question 21

What is Circumlocution?

Answer 21

Talking around a missing word. A strategy to overcome word finding problems.

Question 22

What is Logorrhea?

Answer 22

Incessant talking without meaning, purpose, or point. “Diarrhea of the mouth.”

Question 23

What aphasia is described by:

• Fluent speech, intact auditory comprehension, and intact repetition.
• Word finding problems, increased pauses, impaired naming.

Answer 23

Anomic Aphasia

Question 24

What aphasia is described by:

• Fluent speech, relatively intact auditory and reading comprehension.
• Phonemic paraphasias, impaired repetition, impaired naming (neologisms).
• Usually aware of errors in repetition.

Answer 24

Conduction Aphasia

Question 25

What aphasia is described by:

• Fluent speech, intact repetition.
• Verbal paraphasias, impaired auditory comprehension, impaired naming (may echo)

Answer 25

Transcortical Sensory Aphasia

Question 26

What aphasia is described by:

• Fluent speech.
• Neologisms and other paraphasias, impaired auditory and reading comprehension, impaired repetition, severe naming difficulty (frequent neologisms)
• Lack of awareness about comprehension problems.

Answer 26

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Question 27

What aphasia is described by:

• Intact repetition, relatively good auditory comprehension.
• Nonfluent speech, poor confrontation naming, phonemic and global paraphasias, syntax errors.

Answer 27

Transcortical Motor Aphasia

Question 28

What aphasia is described by:

• Intact auditory and reading comprehension.
• Nonfluent speech, agrammatism, impaired repetition, impaired naming.

Answer 28

Broca’s Aphasia

Question 29

What aphasia is described by:

• Intact repetition up to 3 or 4 words.
• Nonfluent speech, loss of voluntary speech, impaired comprehension, impaired naming.

Answer 29

Mixed Transcortical Aphasia

Question 30

What aphasia is described by:

-Nonfluent speech, minimal speech output, impaired comprehension, impaired repetition, severe naming difficulty.

Answer 30

Global Aphasia