[Click! Health] 'Aphasia' Appearing as a Sequela of Stroke... Active Rehabilitation Is Important

25-40% of Stroke Patients Show Symptoms
Early Language Rehabilitation Treatment Is Crucial
Most Recovery Occurs Within the First 3 Months

Stroke stock photo. Aphasia is one of the representative sequelae of stroke.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] Aphasia, the sudden loss of the ability to speak, is a definite disorder caused by damage to brain regions. It refers to a decline in the ability to understand and express speech due to problems in the brain centers responsible for language. It is distinguished from speech disorders caused by oral structural problems, such as articulation disorders, or cognitive impairments like dementia.

Aphasia is classified into 'Wernicke's aphasia' and 'Broca's aphasia' depending on the damaged area of the brain. The Wernicke area is located in the left temporal lobe; when this area is damaged, the person speaks but strings together meaningless words and has difficulty understanding others' speech. The Broca area is in the left frontal lobe. If this area is affected, the person can understand others but has difficulty speaking or writing, resulting in reduced verbal expression.

Most cases of aphasia occur as a sequela of stroke. It is quite common, appearing in 25-40% of patients who have been treated for stroke and recovered. Professor Yoo Seungdon of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Kangdong Kyunghee University Hospital explained, "If blood flow is not supplied to this area due to cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage, brain cells die." He added, "Aphasia can also result from brain tumors, dementia, falls, or trauma such as traffic accidents. For example, when a tumor develops in the brain, removing the tumor can cause damage to the surrounding language centers due to pressure or removal of the affected area, leading to aphasia."

Seungdon Yoo, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital.

Early treatment is crucial in language rehabilitation. Combining brain stimulation therapy, medication, and speech therapy leads to faster language recovery. The prognosis varies greatly depending on how soon treatment begins after a stroke. In particular, the degree of effectiveness differs proportionally with the number and duration of treatment sessions, so active therapy is important. Most recovery occurs within the first three months, but some improvement is possible even after six months. Along with this, it is necessary to enhance cognitive functions such as memory. Memory includes both verbal and non-verbal types. It is beneficial to comprehensively provide cognitive rehabilitation therapy, including language memory occupational therapy related to how many words can be remembered and the understanding of complex sentences.

Professor Yoo said, "the most regrettable thing is neglecting early treatment." He continued, "Although patients and caregivers face great difficulties, there is a lack of awareness at the national and social levels, and they tend to think it cannot be helped, leading to neglect of rehabilitation efforts. Many patients give up because they do not fully understand and communication is not established." He emphasized, "From the beginning, aphasia should be recognized, and evaluation and treatment plans should be made from a multidisciplinary perspective involving rehabilitation physicians, speech therapists, and occupational therapists."