Aphasia

This is a language disorder that occurs when language centers or their associational pathways connecting to other parts of the CNS controlling language functions are damaged. Sensory aphasia arises from damage to the posterior part of the upper temporal gyrus of the left hemisphere. Patients with this condition do not understand either their own or others’ spoken and written language, although their hearing and vision remain intact. Sensory aphasia can be considered a form of agnosia. When the connection between Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas is disrupted, conduction aphasia occurs. Patients use words inaccurately, omit parts of them, cannot repeat what is said to them, but their understanding of language remains. Aphasia is closely related to the inability to read (Latin alexia), write (Latin agraphia), or calculate (Latin acalculia). Sometimes there is a congenital difficulty in reading (Latin dyslexia), i.e., associating sounds and letters, distinguishing letters, e.g., p and b. This disorder is more common in boys, especially left-handed ones.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė