SPEECH & APHASIAS

Dr. Chitra Palani., PhD

Tutor, Dept of physiology
 Language (speech)
Language – To understand the spoken &
printed words & to express the ideas in speech
and writing.

Language input(sensory)
Language output(motor)

Sensory – visual, auditory impulses

Motor – expression of spoken & written
language
TYPES OF SPEECH
Two major types:

SPOKEN SPEECH – Understanding the

spoken words and expressing ideas in
speech

WRITTEN SPEECH- Understanding

written words and expressing the ideas
in writing
 Mechanism of speech
Understanding the spoken speech:
1. Hearing of the spoken words:
Auditory pathway from ears to Primary Auditory
Area - Brodmann’s area 41 &42 - HEARING.

2. Recognition &understanding:
Carried by Auditory Association Areas 20 &21

3. Interpretation & comprehension of speech ideas:

Auditory Speech Centre - Wernicke’s area (area 22) -
interpretation & understanding of auditory, visual impulses.
- Express the ideas in speech
Understanding the written
speech
1.PERCEPTION OF WRITTEN WORDS -
Eyes - PRIMARY VISUAL CORTEX - area 17.

2.INTERPRETATION OF WRITTEN WORDS –

VISUAL ASSOCIATION AREAS (areas 18 &19) –
recognition & identification of written words.

3. GENERATION OF THOUGHTS & IDEAS –

Dejerine area (38) –VISUAL SPEECH CENTRE - behind
wernicke’s area- in response to written speech.
Express the idea in writing
Mechanism of expression of
speech
 Speech requires the skilled use of muscles like
muscles of lip, tongue, larynx, hands or fingers

 There is MOTOR SPEECH CENTER for both written

and spoken speech in the prefrontal lobe in the
dominant hemisphere.
 Mechanism of expression of speech –
speech pathways
MOTOR SPEECH CENTRE –
BROCA’S AREA(Area 44) &
EXNER’S AREA.

BROCA’S AREA : Processes Information –from wernicke’s

Area – for vocalization to motor cortex – initiates
movements of the lips, tongue, and larynx to produce
speech.

Function: Responsible for the production of voice &

articulation of speech.

Lesion – MOTOR APHASIA.

 Expression of written speech
EXNER’S AREA (Motor Writing Centre)
 Processes information from Broca’s area which then along
with motor cortex(area 4) initiates muscle movements of
the hands & fingers – written speech.

APHASIA
Inability to understand /in express spoken or written speech
in the absence of mental confusion.

TYPES:
Sensory, Motor , Global
Speech disorders
Abnormality of speech functions that are
not due to defects of vision or hearing or
motor paralysis

SENSORY
MOTOR
GLOBAL
 Sensory aphasia

Fluent/ wernicke’s aphasia.

Difficulty /Fails in understanding the meaning
of spoken words.
Speech is intact – fluent aphasia
Word blindness – cannot copy print to writing
MOTOR APHASIA
BROCAS APHASIA /NON FLUENT APHASIA

Difficulty in speaking/Writing.
Comprehension of written/spoken speech is good
Able to formulate verbal language in mind but not
able to vocalise – noises
inability to write(Agraphia)
 Global aphasia
 Inability to use language communication

 Loss of both wernicke’s area & broca’s area.

 Common cause:

 Thrombosis / embolism of blood vessel in

dominant hemisphere.

Associated with right sided sensory & motor deficit

To summarise….
What is Wernicke's area?
It is the sensory speech area.

 it helps you understand speech.

It also helps in usage of correct words to express
our thoughts.

 Wernicke's area sends information via ARCUATE

FASCICULUS to BROCAS AREA – VOCALIZATION
occurs
What is Wernicke's aphasia?
 It is receptive aphasia (fluent aphasia)
Inablity to understand language (written or spoken
form)

 They can not use correct words to express

thoughts.
When they speak, they think they know what they
are saying but a bunch of random words come out.

 Patient is unaware of his problem.

What is Broca's area?
It is the motor speech area. AREA 44

it helps in movements required to

produce speech.
Broca's area is located in the frontal lobe.

Information received from WERNICKES

AREA
What is Broca's aphasia?

 It is expressive aphasia (non-fluent aphasia).

Loss of the ability to produce language (spoken or
written).
Patient have insight to their problem and are
frustrated.

 Broca is broke.
Speaks broken words.
 He is also frustrated because he is broke.)
THANK YOU