Communication Disorders

Question 1

Aphasia

Answer 1

Caused by brain injury, head trauma, CVA, tumor, or infection. About 95% of R handed and 66% of L handed people are L hemisphere dominant for language

Question 2

Fluent Aphasia

Answer 2

Frequently involves temporal lobe, Wernicke’s area, or regions of parietal lobe
Word output and speech production are functional but empty/substance-less speech

Question 3

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Answer 3

Type of fluent aphasia
Lesion of posterior region of superior temporal gyrus
Known as receptive aphasia
Comprehension (reading and auditory) impaired but good articulation
Production of unintended words or syllables
Impaired writing and poor naming ability

Question 4

Conduction Aphasia

Answer 4

Type of fluent aphasia
Lesion of supramarginal gyrus, arcuate fasciculus
Severe impairment with repetition
Intact fluency, good comprehension
Word-finding difficulties
Reading intact but writing impaired

Question 5

Non-fluent Aphasia

Answer 5

Lesion frequently at frontal lobe (anterior speech center) of dominant hemisphere
Poor word output and impairment in rhythm and inflection
Poor articulation and increased effort for speech
Content present but impaired syntactical words

Question 6

Broca’s Aphasia

Answer 6

Type of non-fluent aphasia
Lesion of 3rd convolution of frontal lobe
Known as expressive aphasia
Most common type of aphasia
Intact auditory and reading comprehension
Impaired repetition and naming skills
Frustration with language skill errors
Motor impairment due to proximity of Broca’s area to motor cortex

Question 7

Global Aphasia

Answer 7

Type of non-fluent aphasia
Lesion of frontal, temporal, or parietal lobes
Comprehension (reading and auditory) severely impaired
Impaired naming, writing, repetition skills
May involuntary verbalize without content
May use nonverbal skills for communication

Question 8

Verbal Apraxia

Answer 8

Verbal expression impaired secondary to deficits in motor planning. Unable to initiate movement although they understand the task. Lesion usually in left frontal lobe adjacent to Broca’s area

Question 9

Dysarthria

Answer 9

Motor disorder of speech caused by UMN lesion that affects muscles used to articulate words. Slurred speech and possible effect on respiratory system due to weakness.