Identifying Aphasia

In this exercise, students will try to identify the language deficits present in two patients then they will be asked to determine the type of Aphasia each patient suffers from. There are several types of Aphasia, with the particular type being determined by the area of the brain that has been damaged. In turn, the symptoms associated with aphasia vary with the affected area. The differences between Wernicke'sAphasia and Broca's Aphasia are particularly apparent.

Wernicke's Aphasia Video (4:13 mins)

Broca's Aphasia Video (2:25 mins)

Questions:

1. What aspects of the patient's speech are impaired?

2. Has the patient's spoken-word comprehension been affected? If so, how do you know?

3. Which type of Aphasia does the patient suffer from?

4. Are there any aspects of the patient's symptoms that make it difficult to classify as either Broca's or Wernicke's aphasia?

5. In your opinion, what would be the hardest part of living with Broca's Aphasia orWernicke's Aphasia? Why?