Which term describes a language disorder in which both production and comprehension are impaired and reading and writing are affected?

Which term describes a language disorder in which both production and comprehension are impaired and reading and writing are affected?

• A. Broca's aphasia
• B. anomic aphasia
• C. Wernicke's aphasia
• D. Global aphasia

Answer: (D)

Global aphasia reflects the most extensive language disruption, where producing speech and understanding language are both severely impaired, and reading and writing are affected as well. This pattern comes from widespread damage to the dominant-hemisphere language network, affecting both the production centers and the comprehension circuits plus the pathways that support reading and writing. It is more severe than the other aphasias, in which either production or comprehension is relatively spared. For instance, Broca's aphasia mainly shows nonfluent speech with better comprehension; anomic aphasia centers on word-finding problems with good overall understanding; Wernicke's aphasia features fluent but often nonsensical speech with impaired comprehension. When all language modalities—speaking, understanding, reading, and writing—are markedly impaired, global aphasia fits best.

Global aphasia reflects the most extensive language disruption, where producing speech and understanding language are both severely impaired, and reading and writing are affected as well. This pattern comes from widespread damage to the dominant-hemisphere language network, affecting both the production centers and the comprehension circuits plus the pathways that support reading and writing. It is more severe than the other aphasias, in which either production or comprehension is relatively spared. For instance, Broca's aphasia mainly shows nonfluent speech with better comprehension; anomic aphasia centers on word-finding problems with good overall understanding; Wernicke's aphasia features fluent but often nonsensical speech with impaired comprehension. When all language modalities—speaking, understanding, reading, and writing—are markedly impaired, global aphasia fits best.