Aphasia is a disorder that affects the way you speak and write. It also affects how you understand written and spoken words. There are different types of aphasia, all caused by damage to the brain. Wernicke's aphasia gets its name from the German neurologist who identified it and connected it to a specific area of the brain.
Carl Wernicke thought damage to the left temporal posterior lobe of the brain, located near the left temple, caused aphasia. Scientists originally thought the area was important for understanding language but later learned it is important in the production of speech.
What Are the Causes of Wernicke's Aphasia?
Wernicke's aphasia usually results from a stroke. Other possible causes include:
- Trauma to the brain
- Brain tumor
- Central nervous system infection
- Other disorders of the brain and nervous system
What Are the Symptoms of Wernicke's Aphasia?
The speech of a person with Wernicke's aphasia will be fluent but will often make no sense and have errors, which include:
- Mixing up related words — like calling a chair a table
- Substituting a completely unrelated word — like saying apple instead of house
- Mixing up words that sound similar — like saying tip instead of dip or break instead of bread
- Reversing syllables — like saying achehead instead of headache
Wernicke's aphasia also causes difficulty with reading and writing. A person with Wernicke’s aphasia may spell words wrong or make incorrect word choices and be unaware of their errors — making them frustrated when others can't understand them.
How Is Wernicke's Aphasia Diagnosed?
Diagnosing language disorders can be challenging. Simple testing done at the bedside is a great way to start. The test administrator may ask you to:
- Name objects
- Repeat a complicated phrase
- Point to items named by the test administrator
- Answer yes-or-no questions of varying difficulty
- Respond to one-step commands like “touch your chin with your right hand"
- Respond to multi-step commands like “pick up the piece of paper, fold it in half, and hand it to me"
- Read aloud
- Write something spontaneously
- Write something dictated to you
The test administrator will also observe patterns in your spontaneous speech, including:
- Whether you speak fluently
- How many words are used by you
- Whether you initiate speech or only responds to questions
- What errors are made by you in your speech
- Whether you pause to find words
- How are the characteristics of your speech, like tone and rhythm
More complex tests given by a specialist can follow bedside testing. Brain imaging can identify the type of injury your brain has.
What Is the Treatment for Wernicke's Aphasia?
A speech therapist can provide treatment for Wernicke's aphasia. The earlier the therapy begins, the more effective it will be. Your doctor may also want to treat the physical cause of the aphasia. For example, they may prescribe steroids to reduce the swelling in your brain.
When the aphasia is caused by a stroke, the greatest improvement can happen during the weeks immediately following the stroke. So, therapy may be intensive in this phase. But recovering from a stroke can be difficult, and this intense therapy may be too exhausting.
Researchers are working on newer ways to treat aphasia, including using:
- Various medications
- Deep brain stimulation
- Software to help practice and develop language skills
Is Recovery from Wernicke’s Aphasia Possible?
The health outcomes for someone with Wernicke's aphasia depends on many factors. Children under age 8 often regain their language abilities. Older people will make the most progress in the first few months, though improvement may continue for up to a year.
Recovery depends on the extent of the brain damage, the degree to which language is affected, and the person's response to treatment. The person's age, general health, and level of education may also influence recovery.
How Do I Communicate with Someone With Aphasia?
When you need to talk with someone with aphasia, choose a place with little background noise, make eye contact, and follow these tips:
- Introduce the subject before you begin the conversation.
- Periodically, repeat or rephrase what you have already said.
- If you need to ask a question, phrase it as a yes-or-no question.
- Use gestures, pictures, or props when appropriate.
- Keep conversations short and relatively simple.
Remember that people who have aphasia still have their intellect and their hearing. Don't talk down to them or speak more loudly than usual. Allow them plenty of time to express themselves and try to avoid speaking for them.
