What Causes Wernicke's Aphasia?
Wernicke’s aphasia is a neurological condition that makes it difficult for a patient to understand written or spoken language. The name comes from the scientist Carl Wernicke, who is credited with finding the region of the brain that controls the comprehension of language. Patients with this kind of aphasia show many language issues. They may speak at an average pace and rhythm while using combinations of words that make no sense. They may lose the names for ordinary objects, using several strategies to make up for the deficit including substituting a related word, substituting a nonsense word, or talking about the object until someone else offers the lost name. There are several common causes of Wernicke’s aphasia. Learn about them now.
Neurological Disorders
Neurological disorders are a common cause of Wernicke’s aphasia, especially degenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although each disorder affects the brain differently, all of them lead to degeneration of brain function and the destruction of neurons. When the disease damages the Wernicke’s area on the left side of the brain, it will lead to Wernicke’s aphasia. Because these disorders are progressive, the initial symptoms may be small mistakes in diction often seen as a slip of the tongue. The symptoms will get worse over time as the disease progresses, and the patient will eventually lose the ability to understand language at all. Until treatments improve, the damage done by these diseases is permanent.
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Head Trauma
Another common cause of Wernicke’s aphasia is head trauma, where physical damage to the Wernicke’s area leads to this type of aphasia. The most common causes of brain damage include car crashes, falls, and being struck in the head by an object. Often, when there is trauma to the head, the brain moves inside the hard skull, striking the bone, leading to bruising of brain tissue, damage to neurons and the body’s natural response to trauma, swelling. Swelling in the brain can lead to impaired function at the site of the damage. However, if the aphasia is the result of swelling and the pressure can be relieved, the aphasia may be temporary. If the aphasia is the result of direct damage to the tissue, the condition will be permanent.
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Certain Infections
Certain infections that affect the brain can trigger Wernicke's aphasia. Some infections, such as rabies or herpes, will infect the tissue of the brain, causing a temporary or permanent disruption in neural activity. If the Wernicke’s area is involved in the infection, some level of aphasia will be the result. Other infections such as the West Nile virus cause encephalitis, which is inflammation and swelling of the brain. The pressure caused by this condition can lead to a disruption of several neurological functions. In the case of encephalitis, the aphasia will often be preceded or accompanied by fever and headache. If the swelling is addressed and pressure in the skull cavity relieved, the symptoms of Wernicke’s aphasia will be temporary, becoming less noticeable as the pressure subsides.
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Suffering A Stroke
Suffering a stroke is the most common cause of Wernicke’s aphasia. Many stroke victims will have trouble with communication in addition to other physiological problems. The most common condition for a stroke to cause aphasia is when a clot makes it way to the left middle cerebral artery, which provides the blood supply to the Wernicke’s area. The clot prevents oxygen from reaching the neurons in this area, and they begin to die. The severity of the aphasia is dependent on how quickly the stroke is addressed. Patients who suffer a minor stroke may have a full recovery with some speech therapy. Although some neurons have died, new connections will be made over time. However, a major stroke will leave patients with permanent aphasia.
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Tumor Development
The onset of Wernicke's aphasia might be a sign of tumor development in the brain. Depending on the type and location of the tumor, a brain tumor can affect neurological activity in several ways. The growth of a tumor can disrupt the connection between neurons, disrupting the function of an area. The tumor also takes up energy and resources, stealing the benefits of blood flow from the surrounding tissue, making that area less effective. Also, as the tumor grows, it puts physical pressure on the area, which can also lead to a disruption of function. If the tumor is growing in the Wernicke’s area of the brain, treatments to shrink the tumor or the surgical removal of the tumor may improve or restore function to the patient.