Aphasia
Aphasia
Aphasia
APHASIA
A disturbance of language formation and comprehension
caused by localized brain dysfunction.
READING
Repetition Impaired
Naming Impaired but improves with cues
Reading Impaired reading aloud
Writing Impaired, poorly formed letters
Typical localization of Left posterior-inferior frontal cortex
lesion
Repetition Impaired
Naming Impaired, paraphasic errors
Reading Impaired
Writing Well-formed letters but meaningless content
Typical localization of Left Superior posterior temporal region,
lesion including supramarginal and angular gyri
commonly;
Typical Pathology Stroke of lower division of left middle cerebral
artery
GLOBAL
APHASIA
DAMAGE SO MCA INFARCT OR ICA
WIDESPREAD IS USUALLY CAUSED BY
PROXIMAL
GLOBAL APHASIA
Clinical Feature Observation
Speech Mute or nonfluent
Comprehension Impaired
(auditory/written)
Repetition Impaired
Naming Impaired
Reading Impaired
Writing Impaired
Localization of lesion Typically associated with separate lesions in the
frontal and temporo-parietal regions, including
both Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area.
Repetition Impaired
Writing Impaired
Repetition Normal
Naming Normal to mildly impaired
Reading Impaired
Writing Impaired, slow
Typical localization of Dominant frontal hemisphere, anterior and
lesion superior to Broca’s area, usually involves
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Comprehension Impaired
(auditory/written)
Repetition Normal
Naming Impaired
Reading Impaired
Writing Impaired
Typical localization of Watershed between the middle cerebral artery
lesion and the posterior cerebral artery; occasionally
in angular gyrus or the junction of the parietal,
temporal and occipital lobes; rarely left internal
capsule, thalamus, left frontal lobe or right
hemisphere
Beeson, P. & Rapcsak, S. (2006). The aphasias. In P.J. Snyder, P.D. Nussbaum & D.L Robins (Eds.). Clinical Neuropsychology: A Pocket
Handbook for Assessment (2nd Edition) (Chapter 18). Washington, DC: APA.
APHASIA
TYPE FLUENCY COMPREHESION REPETITION
BROCA’S - + -
TRANSCORTICAL - + +
MOTOR
GLOBAL - - -
WERNICKE’S + - -
TRANSCORTICAL + - +
SENSORY
CONDUCTION + + -
ASSESSMENT
Domains to Assess??
Formal & Informal Assessment
Use Use
Test Test
(%) (%)
Aachen Aphasia Test 0.0 Minnesota Test for Differential Diagnosis of 2.3
Aphasia
Acute Aphasia Screening Protocol 1.1 Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test 5.2
institution
Examination
(PALPA)
Caulfield Language for Cognition 4.6 Quick Assessment for Aphasia 0.6
Disorders
Functional Assessment of Communication Skills for 0.6 The Aphasia Screening Test
Adults
Informal Assessment (via interaction and 70.1 Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
observation)
LARSP 0.6