Language is a complicated capability that allows people to encrypt, elaborate thoughts and experiences through the mediation of arbitrary symbols known as words. The ability to communicate through language has given our society the advantage to prosper and create the world we live now. At any instant this marvelous ability of using and understanding language can be taken away. One way it can be removed is through communication disorders such as aphasia. Aphasia is a language disorder that eliminates all avenues of communication. The lose of language is a result from a stroke, head trauma, or other types of brain damage. According to the National Aphasia Association, about 25% to 40% of people who survive a stroke get aphasia.
Paul Broca and…show more content… This area is located in the left frontal region of the brain and was named after French neurosurgeon Paul Broca known for studying aphasia. He discovered the function of Broca's area while doing an autopsy on the brains of patients with language difficulties. This area controls motor functions involved with speech production and articulated language. A person with a deficiency to Broca's area of the brain can understand language but is unable to accurately produce correct words, sentences, or produce speech. This is called Broca’s aphasia. According to Mayo Clinic “Aphasia typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage.” (Mayo Clinical Staff). Broca referred to this aphasia as a non fluent or expressive form of aphasia, which means that a person knows what they want to say but have difficulty communicating it to other individuals. Broca’s contributions are still significant in todays society. He made important contributions to pathology, anthropology, surgery, cerebral function, and other areas of medicine. Without his discoveries todays society would not know about these problems and how to diagnose…show more content… This region of the brain contains motor neurons involved in the comprehension of speech and is associated with the ability to recognize and understand spoken language. This area was first discovered by a German neurologist Carl Wernicke who is known for studying aphasia. Language development or usage can be seriously impaired by damage to this region of the brain. When this area of the brain is impaired, a disorder known as Wernicke's aphasia can result. According to Health Service Executive “Wernicke's aphasia is when a person may be able to communicate normally and use long, complex sentences, but the actual words that they use do not make sense, or they include nonsense words in their speech. They are also unable to understand what is said to them or follow simple commands” (HSE Staff). This type of aphasia can be referred to receptive or fluent form of aphasia. With receptive aphasia, the individual can hear a voice or read, but they may not understand the meaning of the message. People can be distraught by their own speech because they do not understand their own language. The contributions from Wernicke are important because it gives society the knowledge about how this type of aphasia can affect a person’s
