The human ability to produce and understand language, when impaired, leads to what is known as Aphasia. There are several types of Aphasia, and a clear example is found in the brain, more specifically in the left hemisphere, where Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas are located.
Individuals with damage to Wernicke’s area have comprehensive or receptive aphasia. They can speak fluently, as the area responsible for speech production is intact, but they face difficulties understanding language, whether auditory or visual. This condition is a general impairment of language, not hearing.
On the other hand, people with Broca’s Aphasia have relatively intact comprehension, but face great challenges articulating words. Damage to this area affects language production, regardless of whether it is verbal or through signs. This problem is not related to the motor capacity of the muscles involved in speech, but to the production of language itself.
Interestingly, injuries to either of these areas often result in some difficulty in the other function. Someone with Wernicke’s Aphasia may have problems speaking, while someone with Broca’s Aphasia may have difficulty understanding. This relates to the idea that when we hear something, we repeat it internally, and this helps with understanding. If Broca’s area is damaged, this internal repetition is impaired, also affecting understanding.
A poetic example of this is the experience of a case we researched, of an individual who suffered a stroke, resulting in Broca’s Aphasia. His recovery, fortunately, was significant, a common phenomenon in many stroke survivors. Her words express in a touching way her experience with this condition.
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