Global Aphasia

DisclaimerThis page is not here to be used as a self-diagnosis, self-identification, or promotion - it's simply here to be informational. Whether or not one self-diagnoses, self-identifies, and/or seeks a professional diagnosis is up to them.

**Global Aphasia** is a form of aphasia applied to individuals who can produce few recognizable words and understand little to no spoken language. Individuals with global aphasia can neither read nor write.

## Signs & Symptoms

Individuals with global aphasia have extreme difficulty with reading, writing, understanding speech and speaking. Some individuals with global aphasia can answer basic yes or no questions and may also be able to say automatic phrases, such as "excuse me." Other forms of communication include using facial expressions, gestures, and changing tone of voice.

Some ways individuals with global aphasia may have trouble communicating include:

* Inability to speak.
* Trouble speaking and repeating speech.
* Speaking in sentences that aren't understandable.
* Making grammatical mistakes.
* Trouble understanding others.
* Not correctly answering yes or no questions.
* Trouble understanding fast speech.
* Needing longer than normal to understand spoken text.
* Misspelling words.
* Misusing grammar.
* Using incorrect words.
* Problems understanding written text.
* Inability to sound out words.
* Inability to understand figurative language.

Symptoms may rapidly improve in the first few months after stroke if the damage has not been too extensive.

## Causes

Global aphasia is caused by severe damage to the Wernicke's area and Broca's areas of the brain. These areas play a crucial role in understanding and producing language.

The most common causes of damage to these areas that can lead to global aphasia include:

* Stroke.
* Traumatic Brain Injury.
* Brain tumor.
* Infections, such as meningitis.

## Treatment

Treatment for global aphasia depends on its severity. Recovery may be slower and more difficult than other forms of aphasia, but it's possible.

Treatment for global aphasia fits into one of two categories:

* **Impaired-based strategies**, directly improving language skills.
* **Communication-based strategies**, helping with communication in real-world situations.

The most common treatment option for global aphasia is speech therapy. Along with speech activities, therapists may also use computer programs to aid the process.

The goals of speech therapy include:

* Restoring speech.
* Communication to the best of the individual's ability.
* Looking for alternative communication methods.
* Providing individuals with global aphasia and caregivers with information about the condition.

Visual action therapy is often used when verbal treatments may be too advanced at the moment. It doesn't use any language, teaching individuals to use gestures to communicate.

Noninvasive brain stimulation is a relatively new area of treatment for aphasia. It uses techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation, along with speech-language therapy, to help recover language ability.

## Transient Global Aphasia

**Transient Global Aphasia** is a temporary form of global aphasia. Migraine attacks, seizures or transient ischemic attacks can cause transient global aphasia. In these cases, individuals may recover without treatment.

## References

https://www.aphasia.org/aphasia-resources/global-aphasia/

https://www.healthline.com/health/global-aphasia

https://www.flintrehab.com/global-aphasia/