Language and Stroke

A stroke is caused by an artery becoming clogged or bursting and impeding blood flow to the brain. When the brain is deprived of blood, it is also deprived of oxygen, and the result is the death of brain cells. The loss of brain cells causes impairment in function of parts of the body and brain function as well. One of the most common impairments following stroke is in the area of speech.

Function

• When a stroke has affected the parts of the brain controlling language, the loss of function is called aphasia. When the left side of the brain has been damaged by a stroke, about half of left-handers are affected and most right-handers are affected, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. When the right side of the brain is damaged by stroke, it's possible the individual may experience more problems than just speech and language.

Time Frame

• According to the National Stroke Association, many speech problems or aphasia following stroke will improve within a few weeks after the stroke. Improvements will continue for months and even years. Every case is unique, but it's important for a stroke survivor to understand this process offers hope but may be a long one.

Types

• There are different categories of aphasia, as outlined by the American Stroke Association. In Wernicke's aphasia, the individual has serious comprehension difficulties. He says nonsense words, strings together a series of words that make no sense or simply uses the wrong word without realizing it.

  In Broca's aphasia, the stroke has injured the brain's frontal regions of the left hemisphere, resulting in difficulty forming complete sentences. Individuals might leave out words, particularly connecting words or phrases, and may have difficulty understanding sentences, particularly those with directions.

  Global aphasia occurs when a stroke has affected extensive areas of both the front and back regions of the brain. Those with global aphasia have significant impairments in speaking and understanding language, resulting in greatly diminished communication skills.

Significance

• A person with aphasia can have problems understanding what is said to him or speaking to others. It's even more common for a stroke survivor to have an impaired ability to write and read. The aphasia might be mild and manifests as difficulty carrying on conversations, trouble following long or complicated speech or tip-of-the-tongue syndrome or anomia, where it's hard to find a word.

  If the individual is experiencing severe aphasia, she may understand little of what is said and may have trouble speaking at all. Her vocabulary may be reduced to simple responses such as "yes," "no," "thanks" and "hi," according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Prevention/Solution

• It's important for a stroke survivor to receive services by a speech pathologist experienced in caring for those with stroke-induced aphasia. It could be a long process in recovering speech and reading/writing skills. Family and friends should understand speech skills do not adequately convey the intelligence level of the stroke victim. For some with aphasia, new technologies may aid them in communicating with others. A speech-language pathologist will be able to help the family and patient in finding appropriate therapies and assistive devices.