Aphasia...an unknown syndrome affecting millions
The announcement of American movie star Bruce Willis suffering from aphasia syndrome sparked the curiosity of many people to know what this disorder is and how to treat it, according to a report issued by the American website "US News". The syndrome affects many people around the world . A study prepared by the National Aphasia Society in the United States between 2016 and 2020, revealed that less than 10 percent of the population had heard of aphasia syndrome, noting that about two million people suffer from aphasia, while about 180,000 others suffer from it annually around the world. the world.
Researcher and assistant professor of psychology at the University of California (Berkeley) Nina Runkers believes that what happened with Willis contributed to shedding more light on many unknown or common diseases among people.She described it as "positive" as it contributes to raising awareness of mental disorders.
What is aphasia? Understanding the brain condition affecting Bruce Willis
Aphasia is the umbrella term for language disorders that prevent people from speaking or understanding. It occurs as a result of a stroke, brain problems, neurological diseases, and others, in addition to brain tumors. When a person has the syndrome, it is difficult for him to find the correct words to make a sentence and to pronounce correctly.
The left hemisphere of the brain contains what is known as the Broca and Wernicke areas, and these two parts are found only in the human brain, and they are responsible for human language abilities. Speech-language pathologist and educational psychologist Ahmed Oweini told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed: "Aphasic aphasia is a syndrome that is directly related to the brain, and is directly related to the production or understanding of speech and the ability to read or write. The elderly usually suffer from this syndrome as a result of brain diseases, but the This does not mean or exclude also young people who may suffer from it if they are exposed to violence or psychological trauma, and it may lead to a loss of the ability to speak.” He continues that "the aphasia can be so severe that communication is almost impossible, or limited to gestures or a few simple words."
According to the American Stroke Association, there are three different types of aphasia: The first is known as Wernicke's aphasia, in which a person uses words incorrectly by changing the places of letters. The second type, known as Broca's (expressive) aphasia, affects the frontal areas of the left side of the brain, and thus how words are linked to form a complete sentence. The patient finds it difficult to understand sentences, not to mention making mistakes in directions such as left, right, and others.
The third type is global aphasia. A stroke that affects much of the anterior and posterior regions of the left hemisphere may lead to global aphasia. The patient also has difficulty forming words and sentences, and is unable to read or write. General aphasia usually occurs after a stroke.
According to an article published by the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, aphasia, the extent of the disorder, and the prediction of successful treatment can be determined through a set of comprehensive language tests conducted by speech-language pathologists. These tests include the study of speech, naming, repetition, comprehension, reading and writing. Diagnosis includes brain scans such as computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to understand the effects of a brain injury.
Aphasia - Overview, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Family and friends play a major role in supporting people with aphasia syndrome by providing health and psychological support, says Oweini. Instead of asking a question that needs a long answer, paraphrasing sentences spoken by the patient, and helping with gestures to emphasize important points, the family can help patients by asking questions that can be answered with yes or no. Patients must also undergo sessions with psychotherapists specializing in the treatment of aphasia, to train them in the proper construction of sentences and words.
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