0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views22 pages

Understanding Broca's Aphasia

This document describes Broca's aphasia. Aphasia is defined as a loss of the ability to understand or produce language acquired after a brain injury. Broca's aphasia is primarily characterized by problems in language expression, where patients produce short and ungrammatical sentences. It originates from a lesion in Broca's area of the left frontal lobe of the brain.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views22 pages

Understanding Broca's Aphasia

This document describes Broca's aphasia. Aphasia is defined as a loss of the ability to understand or produce language acquired after a brain injury. Broca's aphasia is primarily characterized by problems in language expression, where patients produce short and ungrammatical sentences. It originates from a lesion in Broca's area of the left frontal lobe of the brain.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

FEDERICO VILLARREAL
Year of Productive Diversification and Strengthening of the

Education

E.A.P. OF LANGUAGE THERAPY

BROCA APHASIA

COURSE: NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

TEACHER: MYRIAM VELARDE INCHÁUSTEGUI

CARAVANTES CABRERA, JASMIN NOELIA

Marcelo Valdez, Evelyn Giovanna

YEAR THIRD
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY

INTRODUCTION

In this monographic work, we will address everything related to Broca's aphasia.


Aphasia (loss of the ability to understand or produce language) is a disorder
acquired language, which occurs as a result of an injury in a region
a specific area of the brain. It implies a total or partial loss of acquired language.
previously.

In the first instance, those responsible for aphasia are thecirculatory disordersfrom the
area of thebrainof the language area caused by alterations of the vessels
bloodapoplexyor cerebral infarction). These may appear more frequently
when one suffersarteriosclerosisodiabetes mellitusAlso the hemorrhages and
thetumorsthey can cause brain injuries resulting in speech disorders.

Childhood aphasia usually occurs after a cranioencephalic trauma.

In general, aphasia affects all areas of language, so that the


the disorder becomes evident when using language to different degrees, such as in the
noncompliance with the rules concerning word formation (lexicon), the lack of
understanding the meaning of words (semantics), errors in grammar (syntax) or
the articulation of the word (phonology). Furthermore, aphasic disorders become evident.
in speaking, writing, understanding, and reading.

Depending on the symptoms present and their severity, aphasias can be classified into
different syndromes. The most important ones we will mention below are
Broca's aphasia, Wernicke's aphasia, amnesic aphasia, and global aphasia. These
Symptoms can be clearly classified based on the injury of a specific
region of the brain.

Neurolinguistics Page 2
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY

Broca's aphasia

Definition of aphasia

Aphasia (loss of the ability to comprehend and produce language) is a disorder


acquired from the language production ability that arises due to an interruption
in language development. Aphasias reduce the ability to communicate, without
Despite the embargo, patients do not show signs of physical or intellectual disability.

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by a brain injury.


in a person who could previously speak normally. The aphasic disorder is
is characterized by disorders in the emission of speech sound elements (paraphasias),
deficit in comprehension and naming disorders (anomia). Some authors
they persist in using the term dysphasia to refer to this disorder, although this is a
ambiguous term and it is preferable to use the term aphasia. In aphasia, there is rarely a
total abolition of expressive capacities; although in the initial phase it may be observed
this total abolition, elements spoken are usually always preserved, even in the
more severe aphasias.

Since it is a disorder of the brain's ability to process


language, it should be noted that in aphasia all modalities are affected
linguistic. Therefore, the disorder is not limited to spoken expression or comprehension,
but also to the written one. In general, the expressive capabilities of gestural language
are also diminished, as well as other modalities of this from which the subject could
dispose (Morse, sign language of the deaf-mute, etc.).

Incidence

It is estimated that there are between 150,000 and 300,000 patients suffering from aphasia in countries like

Spain. Annually, between 21 and 34% of people are affected by a loss.


prolonged speech after suffering astroke.

History

The basis of our knowledge about aphasia (loss of speech) dates back to the first
mid-nineteenth century. At that time, in the field of cerebral pathology, it began to

Neurolinguistics Page 3
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
establish a relationship between motor and sensory functions, respectively, and the
disorders and the impact on certain regions of thebrain.

At the central point of this development is the French physician Paul Broca.
(1824-1880), who for the first time in 1861 identified in a man with disorders
speech motors, that the speech motor center in right-handed individuals is located in the middle
the left side of the brain a region that today is called Broca's area. The work of
Broca on the identification of the place (localization) where some of the
the functions of the brain were key to the later development of the anatomy and physiology of the
brain.

For the first time in the first quarter of the 20th century, there was a great interest in research.

the structure of each region of the brain and chart the map of the entire brain. Already in 1909
Korbinian Brodmann distinguished 52 different areas, which he designated with numbers from
from Area 1 to Area 52. The Brodmann system is still predominantly used.
nowadays.

With research into the regions of the brain, there was hope of obtaining
Information about the functions of the brain through the understanding of its structure.
histological. Subsequent studies showed, however, that they had not been achieved.
to accurately identify the regions and functions of the brain. This could be due, among
other things, that most of the time the analyses were only carried out in a few
people.

The new comparative analyses show that the parts of the structure
The histological structure of the brain is extraordinarily distinct. Despite everything, it is possible

establish relationships between disorders of certain motor or sensory functions


and lesions in certain areas of the brain. Furthermore, the most important forms of
Aphasia is attributed more or less clearly to lesions in certain regions of the
brain.

In this way, Broca's aphasia, for example, primarily originates from a


injury to the so-called Broca's area in the frontal lobe of the brain, in Area 44 and 45
according to Brodmann's classification, while in Wernicke's aphasia is found
essentially damaged the so-called Wernicke area, located in the temporal lobe of
brain

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 4
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY

First contributions

The interest in linguistic processes at the neuropsychological level emerged in the mid-century.
XIX, the date on which the neural bases of language begin to be established from
aphasic subjects due to specific brain injuries. The following details are provided
most relevant contributions in this regard.

Broca's contribution (1861). The first major contribution regarding the neural bases of
language is found in the works of Paul Broca. This French doctor publishes in
1861 his work with a patient who at 30 years old had begun to show problems
in speech. When Broca examined him, the patient was 51 years old, and his speech was limited to
a single expression: 'TAN' (the reason why this patient named Leborgne is known
for Tan). His level of understanding was considered normal by Broca, as he could
respond to certain questions through gestures.

After his death, the postmortem study revealed that the patient had extensive
brain damage due to a chronic infection affecting the skull, meninges, and a large part
of the left hemisphere. A large abscess in the third was also observed.
left frontal convolution.

Neurolinguistics Page 5
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY

In 1863, Broca reported 25 cases of speech alterations with lesions in the


left hemisphere; in all cases except one, the lesion included the third.
left frontal convolution.

However, Broca does not believe that the entire brain-language relationship is reduced to
the left frontal convolution, but differentiates three processes of language
related to different neuroanatomical bases:

Intellect in general (does not provide localization)

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 6
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
General faculty of language (bilateral capacity or corresponding to the hemisphere
law

Ability to articulate language (located in the third frontal convolution


left)

Regarding the articulation of language, Broca believed that it was located in


itself under bilateral hemispheric control (innervation of the vocal cords by
of both hemispheres) but that the left frontal gyrus would be the center of union
of the intellectual phenomena with the articulation. To the alteration associated with damage in
this region was called afemia, although the term aphasia has subsequently been adopted.

Broca's aphasia

In Broca's aphasia, the symptoms of the speech disorder primarily affect the
expression. Hence it is also referred to as motor aphasia (the loss of)
speech affects the active expression of language). The most important symptom of this
Language disorder is agrammatism (from Greek a = without, no). Patients are no longer
in a position to construct grammatically correct sentences in their mother tongue. By
they use short telegraphic sequences made up of one to three words and
They stand out for constructing extremely simple sentences.

Normally, the word order does not follow grammatical rules, but rather it
based on the importance of the topic. This agrammatism is also shown when writing. For
finding the right term, those affected often make a great effort. This effort to
speaking can be greater if accompanied by a joint disorder
speech (dysarthria), especially if its origin is central (due to a brain injury).

Broca's aphasia is caused by a lesion that primarily occurs


in Broca's area, which is located in the central lobe of the brain in Area 44 and 45
according to Brodmann's nomenclature.

Anatomy of Broca's area

Currently, although most authors agree that areas 44 and 45


the Brodmann areas constitute Broca's area, there is controversy regarding the areas
cerebral structures that integrate it, since, as mentioned earlier, the description of P.
Broca is not accurate regarding the brain areas as we know them today.

Neurolinguistics Page 7
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
Similarly, anatomically, Broca's area is considered
corresponds to the two posterior thirds of the lower left frontal turn (triangular part
and opercular), anterior to area 6 of Brodmann, that is, the region comprised between the
horizontal and ascending branches of the lateral sulcus and a small posterior portion of it
last.

Uylings and collaborators (1999) state that Broca's area is not clearly
defined, and the same happens with Wernicke's area; they also add that there is a
great anatomical variability in terms of size and shape in healthy individuals. For these
authors, the branches of the lateral groove do not match the boundaries of area 44 and 45, and create
emphasis on the great variability of the ascending and horizontal branches of the lateral sulcus, due to
that anatomically it is also not possible to accurately delimit the Broca area, about
everything in those individuals who do not have the horizontal and ascending branches clearly
defined, as can often be observed in magnetic resonance studies.

Still, most authors consider that Brodmann areas 44 and 45


they constitute Broca's area. Area 44 occupies the opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus and
It is located posterior to the ascending branch of the lateral sulcus and anterior to the boundary of area 6.

Area 45 occupies the triangular part of the lower frontal gyrus that can be
neuroanatomically delimited by the branches of the lateral sulcus, the anterior part
through the horizontal branch and the back by the ascending branch.

Dimension and variants of Broca's area

The approximate dimensions of Broca's area can be obtained from the Surgery Atlas.
Talairach stereotactic and the Atlas of Gyri and Sulci of Ono
collaborators.

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 8
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Speech Therapy
Cognitive considerations of Broca's aphasia

Most authors believe that the main characteristic of this aphasia consists
in a telegraphic or agrammatic language (non-fluent aphasia); that is to say, an oral language that
lacks grammatical markers with difficulties at the syntactic level, both in expression
like in understanding.

Currently, it is considered that for Broca's aphasia to manifest as ...


It is traditionally known, it is required that the lesion includes a large part of the operculum.
frontal that affects both the Broca area and insula, white matter and nuclei of the
base.

For their part, Benson and associates mention that Broca's aphasia manifests
only if there is an extended lesion in the opercular region, precentral gyrus, anterior part of
the insula and paraventricular and periventricular white matter.

CLASSIFICATION

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 9
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY

TYPES

Broca's aphasia type I (also known as agrammatic aphasia, minor Broca's aphasia or aphasia)
Broca's area) occurs when the lesion is strictly limited to Broca's area.
These types of patients usually present with initial mutism and mild right hemiparesis.
as well as defects in articulation and prosody with slight difficulty in finding the
appropriate words to express what is desired.

Other symptoms that may appear are: reduction in the length of sentences
without reaching an agrammatical state, restricted use of syntax and writing generally
is affected with the same severity as speech. The symptoms of this
This subtype of aphasia is generally transient.

On the other hand, Broca's aphasia type II occurs when the lesion in the Broca area is
extends to the opercular region, precentral gyrus, anterior insula, and white matter
periventricular; affecting the connections with nearby areas and other more distant regions.
The signs and symptoms of type II aphasia are very similar to type I, the difference lies in
in type II, the signs and symptoms are mostly pronounced and persistent, to

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 10
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
difference of type I, which are of lesser severity and generally disappear at the
few months.

Finally, the same authors point out that the symptoms and the degree of severity,
They will be related both to the location and the size of the lesion.

Alexander and collaborators agree that a lesion limited to Broca's area,


as in the case of a heart attack, it does not cause the complete syndrome that has generally been
described (Broca's aphasia type I); and that a permanent Broca's aphasia occurs only
when a much larger area is injured (type II).

They also mention a very important aspect: that it is a type of aphasia.


which presents itself as an evolution of global aphasia (severe language disorder), and
that the patient's deficiencies are both in speech activities (articulation) and
of language (grammatical, initiation and maintenance, and probably, of the
formulation).

These last authors, with a somewhat anatomical approach, describe two patterns.
clinical signs that occur when an injury is present in regions near the area of
Broca, which differ so much in the brain region and in the symptoms, these are:

a) Injury of the lower motor cortex and part of the operculum. The symptomatology of
a localized injury in this region, which often involves the nucleus
caudate and putamen, is mainly related to speech (motor aspect)
more than with language (symbolic aspect). Some syndromes that could be
synonyms are agraphia, subcortical anarthria, pure motor aphasia, apraxic dysarthria,
cortical dysarthria, verbal apraxia, pure phonetic disintegration, and speech apraxia.

At the beginning of the establishment of this condition, the patient may show mutism.
and hemiparesis, with good evolution. Likewise, there may be effort when speaking,
with impairment in the joint and in prosody. Generally, it can be observed
an appropriate writing, which indicates that the main deficit is found in the
speaks more than in language, affecting complex motor programs
necessary for verbal response. Language, cognition, initiation of the
articulation and abstract verbal abilities are preserved.

b) Injury of the lower motor cortex and the operculum. This refers to a more severe injury.
extensive and deep (which affects a larger number of connections than the previous one, already

which completely includes the operculum and deep white substance. As for the

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 11
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
clinical picture, at the beginning it may also present with mutism and hemiparesis, as well as

loss of the ability to pronounce learned series and prolonged transition between
the phrases. Problems are observed in finding the word and errors are present
paraphasias (phonetic). The repetition is slightly better than the response
spontaneous. In this type of injury, written language is affected,
difference from the previously mentioned framework. Likewise, in this type of injuries it is
it is common to find the following three symptoms:

1) affection of the motor system, which can manifest as dysarthria,

2) difficulty in activating the motor system, which is manifested by mutism


initial, slowness and latency when speaking

3) deficit in the cognitive system for language, which is manifested by difficulty


to find the word, presence of semantic and phonetic paraphasias and
grammatical reduction.

CAUSAS

The causes of aphasia (loss of speech, both in expression and comprehension)


of the language) are always brain injuries. These can occur in various ways.
ways.

There are various types of causes that produce a brain injury. The most common ones
they usually are:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI): These are brain injuries whose cause
primary is external, usually a blow. This injury can lead to a state
of diminished or altered consciousness and usually leads to a deterioration in the

physical and cognitive functioning affecting emotionally and socially those who it
suffers. In relation to linguistic and communication skills, the
the most common problems they present are difficulties in finding words,
unclear and concise expression, tendency to repeat oneself, scarce skills for

neurolinguistics Page 12
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
to maintain the topic of a conversation and to respect the turns of speech,
difficulties in interpreting and expressing the prosodic characteristics of language.

Stroke or ictus, which occurs when there is a disturbance in the blood supply.
cerebral blood in any of its four ways: Clot, Hemorrhage,
Compression

- Insidious progressive incidence of brain diseases that gradually go


causing its deterioration, although the frequent cause of this is age and us
We will not address the educational intervention in these cases.

In adults, in 84% of cases the cause of aphasia is aictusheart attack


cerebral), while in children, in 80% of cases, the trauma
Cranioencephalic injury caused by a fall is responsible for directly damaging the tissue.
cerebral. On the contrary, this traumatic brain injury only causes 10% of the
aphasias in adulthood. Falls that cause cranioencephalic trauma usually
occurring in traffic accidents, although also while playing sports or playing. In addition,
These injuries can be a consequence of violent acts.

In 5% of cases, abrain tumorit is the cause of aphasia. Only in 1%


In aphasics, the speech disorder originates from an inflammatory process of
brain.

Depending on the areas that the injury has affected, they will be affected.
different abilities or several at once, so we can say that each aphasia is
different and above all, that each person has their own characteristics. In our case,
When dealing with children and young people, we must take into account the plasticity of the brain, which

During the early years of life, it redistributes the functions of the damaged parts.
based on age we can affirm that if the onset occurs:

From the age of ten or twelve, the brain is fully mature and therefore
both his recovery will be expensive and may not be complete

Between three and ten, the recovery will gradually occur later, but it will
they will achieve good results after the intervention.

Before the age of three, the recovery will be total.

Since there is a higher incidence of right-handed people than left-handed ones, and for around

Of 90% of right-handed people, the left half of the brain (hemisphere) is the half that...

Neurolinguistics Page 13
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
The language is affected, aphasia almost always originates from an injury in the hemisphere.
left side of the brain. On the contrary, when aphasia affects left-handed people, it is usually the
the right hemisphere of the brain that is damaged. There are isolated cases in which the
right-handed individuals suffer from the so-called crossed aphasia where certain areas have been damaged.

regions in both cerebral hemispheres.

SYMPTOMS

Aphasia (loss of speech) can show diverse symptoms. Depending on the area of
brain that is affected, different types of aphasia appear with their most
frequent.

CHARACTERISTICS

In this type of aphasia, there is a predominance of disorders related to the


expression (what produces non-fluent language), about comprehension disorders. The
semiology is of a non-fluent type, with a reduction in expression and with efforts and
articulatory defects, as well as a reduction in vocabulary and expression of the
phrases. Agrammatism also occurs in function words and phonemic paraphasias.
phonetic.

Depending on the degree of aphasia, some symptoms will appear while others will not. Patients with

this type of aphasia is characterized by slow and laborious speech, frequently


syllabic, with verbal comprehension almost normal. Repetition is severely affected
affected and the designation usually as well.

In reading, they are able to read content words (lexical) but omit the
grammatical words; and writing is affected by both motor-type problems and
due to the aphasic disorders themselves, since motor alterations are common.
associated problems that these types of students present, especially in the form of
right hemiplegia or right hemiparesis.

In the most typical form of Broca's aphasia, the lesions presented by the
students give way to a first phase in which there is mutism or simple vocalizations,
what can normally evolve into a verbal stereotype. Once the
NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 14
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
clinical picture evolves, the child or adult starts to say words like their name, that of
their relatives, or common objects, that are accompanied by more or less expressions
automatically connected to an emotional language.

In summary, the symptoms of Broca's aphasia are as follows:

Language comprehension is almost normal.

The patient speaks little and is aware of his mistakes.

He/She has trouble finding the desired words.

It makes great efforts to synchronize the tongue, pharynx, and larynx.

The words he emits are distorted, and have been removed from his speech.
those that are more complicated.

The grammar is of enormous simplicity, especially regarding elements.


of connection (prepositions, conjunctions...). The style, in general, is of the type
telegraphic.

Its articulation is poor.

DIAGNOSIS

The first step in diagnosing aphasia (loss of speech) is the so-called diagnosis
primary. In this, the doctor performs an initial assessment of the speech disorder. The
The diagnosis of aphasias requires a lot of experience and sensitivity. Hence, there exist
different types of tests at our disposal.

The Token test is the most suitable for diagnosing aphasia in the most ...
quick. Patients must choose one to two sheets of certain colors, shapes
and sizes between 10 or 20 sheets after listening to some instructions. The accuracy of this test for
The diagnosis of aphasia is 90%.

To make a more accurate diagnosis, the so-called test is normally used.


the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT). This test is conducted in a standard interview in which
Analyze the following: the effectiveness of repetition, writing, reading, designation and the
NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 15
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
understanding. With the help of the Aachen aphasia test, one can recognize the form of
aphasia that one suffers and establish its severity. In addition, the test can be carried out over time

from a therapy, to assess the patient's progress.

It's also advisable that alongside the diagnosis, the capacity of is checked.
patient's non-verbal perception and intelligence, as they can sometimes be affected due to the
injury of thebrain.

TREATMENT

In cases of aphasia (loss of speech), the treatment is usually conducted by a speech therapist.
Since the treatment significantly improves the patient's communicative ability in
In most cases, one should start as soon as possible.

In the early stages of aphasia, in which the patient usually is barely ...
able to emit an oral utterance, the speech therapist tries to reactivate the oral capacity. To do this,
different methods are used. The therapist encourages the aphasic person to repeat with him or to repeat

followed by a series of automatic words (days of the week or numbers, for


example).

In the second phase of treatment, exercises aimed at disorders are carried out.
of speech characteristics of the type of aphasia that one suffers from. When it comes to an aphasia of
Broca, for example, the therapist practices sentence construction with the patient.
grammatically simple.

In the third phase, the therapist and the affected individual try to apply the abilities
communicative skills that have been achieved during therapy to meet the needs of the situations
communicative aspects of daily life. To facilitate this, therapy is usually sought
group.

EVOLUTION

The development of aphasia (loss of speech) mainly depends on the type and severity.
of brain injury and the age of the affected person. In many cases, aphasia improves from
gradual manner, especially in the first six months after the brain injury to
cause of the improvement in blood flow. Although there are also cases of aphasia of a character

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 16
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
chronic according to the nature of the injury. Starting treatment early has an impact on
generally positively in the development of aphasia.

PREVENTION

There are different measures to prevent aphasia (loss of speech). Aphasia is


frequently develops as a consequence of a stroke, which usually appears at its
since as a consequence of arteriosclerosis. For this reason, it is important to reduce the
risk of developing atherosclerosis. This means that high values must be avoided.
blood pressure, increases in cholesterol levels and excesses in the level of
blood glucose, as well as keeping them within appropriate ranges, as they increase the
risk of suffering a stroke. It is also advisable to avoid theoverweightdedicate more
time to play sports and stopto smokeThese measures have a positive impact on
theblood vessels.

Since aphasia can also be caused, especially in children, by


A cranioencephalic trauma due to a fall, it is important to wear a helmet.
appropriate protector when the child rides a bicycle or practices sports like skating
or skiing.

APHASIAAND FAMILY

There are a series of general guidelines to help families as much as possible.


of our patients, such as:

Simplify the language using short and simple sentences, not complicated ones.

Repeat the content of the words, or write the key words to clarify the
meaning when necessary.

Minimize distractions such as a loud radio, whenever possible.


possible.

neurolinguistics Page 17
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY FEDERICO VILLARREAL
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
Encourage any type of communication, whether spoken or through gestures,
signals, drawings.

Give the person enough time to speak.

Help the person to get involved in activities outside the home. Look for Groups
support, like clubs for stroke patients.

One should maintain an attitude of respect with patients.

Engage in a naturally appropriate conversation for adults.

Include the person with aphasia in the conversations.

Ask and value the opinion of the person with aphasia, especially on matters of
family.

Avoid correcting the way the person with aphasia speaks.

Aside from all this, the family has many doubts regarding the behavior.
What they should take with their loved one, here we aim to answer some of the
most common issues that families may have:

Should the family attend the reeducation sessions?

This decision depends on the speech therapist and the doctor, but in general it is advisable that the
the patient should be alone during their training sessions; this way, the therapist will be able to control

the teaching and establishing a closer relationship with the patient. In some cases, the
The speech therapist can decide that a family member is present during the session.
therapeutic this is particularly necessary when the family needs to learn to
develop a home language re-education program.

How long will the patient need language rehabilitation?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict the time the patient will need.


rehabilitation, as it totally depends on the brain damage, on the patient's motivation,
its ability to learn and the severity of aphasia. It is generally accepted that the
rehabilitation of aphasia is a long and slow process. The family and friends of the patient
They should think in terms of months or years, not days and weeks. Some aphasics

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 18
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY FEDERICO VILLARREAL
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
Some show progress in just a few months, others progress slowly but steadily.
for several years. Almost always the language recovers very gradually.

Will the patient be able to speak normally again?

Very few aphasics completely regain normal language use for reading, writing, and
talk, but rehabilitation can improve them to a point where they are considered almost
normal. When setting the goals for aphasia rehabilitation, it is necessary to avoid
any unrealistic approach. It is better to set minimum objectives that can
to be fulfilled week by week, to set a long-term goal of normal language.

What can the family do to help?

The family of an aphasic patient can help him improve by creating for him, at home,
a warm and permissive atmosphere. Whatever the family feels or thinks will be communicated without

to prevent the patient. They should be allowed to attempt to communicate, as long as it is


possible, in a framework where their mistakes are not ridiculed or severely criticized. A
A negative or demanding environment from the family can be a very unfavorable factor.
For the success of language rehabilitation, small progress must be accepted.
as if they were adults. At the same time, they must continue their family life normally
except, of course, when feeling tired or restless.

A series of accepted behaviors and other inappropriate ones are shown when dealing with
with a relative who has aphasia.

Things that MUST be done: Things that should NOT be done:

1. Do not force the patient to start the


reeducation. The psychological preparation,
Encourage the patient to start the
it has a lot to do with progress. If the
language retraining.
the patient probably doesn't want to start
he does not feel prepared for it.

Neurolinguistics Page 19
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
Do everything possible to ensure that the patient
you can speak. This is achieved by making the
2. Do not force the patient to talk or to see
speaking seems like a pleasant experience and
people when they do not wish it.
generously praising the patient
when I tried to speak.

3. Allow the patient to discuss mistakes 3. Do not speak for the patient unless it is
while speaking. absolutely necessary.

Give the patient all the opportunities


to hear speaking at home. to say something.

5. Give brief and simple explanations and


say them slowly. If the patient does not 5. Do not insist that the patient pronounce
understand, we must repeat, without perfectly losing the words.
never the patience.

6. Therapeutic sessions at home 6. Do not reprimand the patient when not

they must be brief. It's the frequency, not the can communicate.
duration is what matters.

7. Be honest with the person with aphasia,


tell him that 'in a few days you will be able to
7. Do not admit the patient.
"talking" is a lie that will only serve to
to disappoint him.
8. Make an effort to maintain a positive attitude 8. Do not demand things from the patient that they cannot give.

positive and constructive. can fulfill.

9. Encourage the patient in all their 9. Do not interrupt the patient with their
efforts. activities even if they seem futile.

10. If the patient is an adult, treat them as


tale.

11. Allow the patient everything 10. Do not expect gratitude from
independent that wants in relation to their patient for every small attention that is
age. the toast.

Always follow the doctor's advice and


of the speech therapist.

Neurolinguistics Page 20
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY

CONCLUSIONS

Talking about Broca's aphasia is talking about a syndrome with multiple components,
which is nonspecific in our days from both an anatomical point of view
as cognitive, since different patients diagnosed with Broca's aphasia
they can present various neuropsychological profiles, involving different
prognoses and rehabilitation treatments.

It is worth noting that despite the obvious difficulty faced by aphasic patients
Broca to express himself, the difficulties in understanding oral language as well
they can be very important, specifically at the level of complex sentences; without
embargo, such difficulties can only be evident upon an exploration
detailed and specific cognitive.

NEUROLINGUISTICS Page 21
FEDERICO VILLARREAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
E.A.P. LANGUAGE THERAPY
It is possible to anatomically determine the center of Broca's area at 2.5 cm in
rostral direction and parallel to the lateral sulcus from the lower end of the sulcus
central and 1.5 cm. above the lateral sulcus (center of the triangular region).

Such localization could allow in some cases the use of transection.


multiple subpial in this site, as well as in the surrounding region, which would cause
transient language disorders due to it being a surgical technique
restricted to the cerebral cortex, leaving the subcortical region intact, so that
There is a high possibility of reorganization, as shown by various studies.

There are no studies that explore in detail the neuropsychological sequelae and
his recovery in the Broca area.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC SOURCES

Alexander PM, Benson DF, Stuss DT. Frontal Lobes and Language. Brain and
Language, 1989; 37: 656-691.

Broca's area aphasias: Aphasia after


lesions including the frontal operculum. Neurology 1990; 40: 353-362.

Dronkers NF, Pinker S, Damasio AR. Language and aphasias. In: Kandel E,
Schwartz JH, Jessell TM. Principles of Neuroscience. 4th ed. Spain: McGraw-Hill
Hill. 2000. p. 1169-1187.

Ellis AW. Young AW. Human cognitive neuropsychology. Masson Publishing, 1992.
p. 239-269.

Neurolinguistics Page 22

You might also like