Last reviewed:
Mar 30th 2023
LSW
Aphasia, referring to deficits in speech and communication abilities, and dementia, a collective name of cognitive disorders, are both related to damage or degeneration of the brain, but they are distinct conditions. Typically, neither aphasia nor dementia can be cured, but both may be managed with therapeutic and practical support.
Dementia is the collective name of a group of conditions caused by damage to parts of the brain, including Alzheimer’s, Lewy body, vascular, and frontotemporal dementias. These conditions can cause impairments in cognitive abilities, impacting speech, concentration, memory, understanding, and language, as well as potentially causing behavioral and mood changes [1].
Different parts of the brain have different functions, such as the hippocampus being involved in memory, Broca’s area being involved in speech, and the prefrontal cortex being involved in mood and planning [2]. As such, certain functional impairments are caused by damage to specific areas of the brain.
Dementia is usually caused by damage to brain cells and neurons, impacting the whole brain and therefore, causing impairments in several aspects of functioning, including cognition, behavior, and movement [3].
Depending on the severity of impairment, a person with dementia might require constant support, aiding with eating, dressing, bathing, and movement [4].
Aphasia is a common symptom of dementia and other conditions that affect the brain [5]. It is typically caused by damage to specific areas of the brain, called the Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, which are both involved in speech and language [6].
As aphasia typically affects only these parts of the brain, it does not cause impairments in all aspects of functioning, like dementia, but rather only impacts the individual’s ability to communicate and understand language [7].
Someone may have other speech and language impairments as well as aphasia, or they may experience aphasia as part of a condition in which other symptoms are present [5][6].
Broca aphasia, Wernicke aphasia, and global aphasia are the three main types of aphasia, caused by damage to specific areas of the brain [7].
Broca’s area is a part of the frontal lobe. This type of aphasia is also referred to as expressive aphasia, as it impacts the individual’s ability to express their thoughts and feelings.
Wernicke’s area is a part of the temporal lobe. This form of aphasia is also referred to as receptive aphasia, as it impacts the individual’s ability to understand others’ speech [7].
This type of aphasia is caused by extensive damage to the brain and results in severe impairments in speech and understanding, often resulting in the individual being unable to communicate more than a few words [6].
Often, the symptoms of dementia start slowly and gradually worsen as the condition develops [3]. The various types of dementia can cause differing symptoms, but aphasia is a common symptom of Alzheimer’s, vascular, and frontotemporal dementia [5][6]. Symptoms will vary depending on the part of the brain that is damaged and the stage of dementia.
Common symptoms of dementia include [1][3][8]:
Both aphasia and dementia are caused by damage to parts of the brain [3][6]. Causes of this damage and risk factors related to the development of these conditions may vary from person to person.
Some of the potential causes and risk factors of aphasia include [5][6][7][9]:
Some of the potential causes and risk factors of dementia include [1][3][4][8]:
Depending on the cause, some symptoms seen with aphasia or dementia may be prevented, reduced, or slowed by certain treatments, so early diagnosis and intervention is important. However, in many cases, the symptoms cannot be cured, and treatment is provided to help the individual function as best as possible with their condition.
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