Aphasia

Question 1

Fluent (receptive) aphasia

Answer 1

TypesWernicke’s aphasia, anomic aphasia, conduction aphasia, transcortical sensory aphasia

Question 2

Non-fluent (expressive) aphasia

Answer 2

TypesBroca’s aphasia, transcortical motor aphasia, global aphasia

Question 3

Pure aphasia

Answer 3

Pure alexia, pure agraphia, pure word deafness

Question 4

Wernicke’s Aphasia (aka semantic aphasia)

Answer 4

This occurs due to a lesion in Wernicke’s area (posterior region of the left superior temporal gyrus).

The main feature is impairment in auditory comprehension. The speech is fluent but meaningless (often referred to as cocktail party speech). Comprehension and expression are equally affected.

Question 5

Conduction aphasia

Answer 5

This results from damage to the arcuate fasciculus which connects Wernicke’s to Broca’s area.

Poor repetition in comparison to problems with comprehension and spontaneous expression is the hallmark of this syndrome.

Question 6

Broca’s aphasia

Answer 6

This follows damage to Broca’s area (Brodmann areas 44 and 45) which is in the frontal lobe.

Speech is characteristically non fluent but comprehension is intact. It is often accompanied by agraphia (inability to write).

Question 7

Anomic aphasia

Answer 7

Naming or word finding problems are the major feature of the syndrome. Grammar is unaffected and repetition is good. Auditory comprehension is relatively intact.

Anmoic aphasia is localised with the least reliability of any of the aphasic syndromes. The lesion is often temporal parietal area. The angular gyrus may also be affected.

Question 8

Which of the following is most likely to result from an occlusion of the anterior cerebral artery?

Answer 8

Motor aphasia.

The anterior cerebral artery supplies the frontal portion of the brain which controls motor function