Bruce Willis is “stepping away from acting” because of Aphasia. Here’s what causes it and how it affects people. Aphasia is a condition that affects the ability to express or understand speech, Willis’ family announced on Wednesday. The condition is “impacting his cognitive abilities,” the family said. Aphasia typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumour or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative). The severity of the aphasia depends on a number of conditions, including the cause and the extent of the brain damage.
Once the cause has been addressed, the main treatment for aphasia is speech and language therapy. The person with aphasia relearns and practices language skills and learns to use other ways to communicate. Family members often participate in the process, helping the person communicate.
Aphasia is usually caused by a stroke or brain injury with damage to one or more parts of the brain that deal with language. According to the National Aphasia Association, about 25% to 40% of people who survive a stroke get aphasia.
Aphasia may also be caused by a brain tumour, brain infection, or dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. In some cases, aphasia is a symptom of epilepsy or another neurological disorder.
Usually, a doctor first diagnoses aphasia when treating a patient for a stroke, brain injury, or tumour. Using a series of neurological tests, the doctor may ask the person questions. The doctor may also issue specific commands and ask the person to name different items or objects. The results of these tests help the doctor determine if the person has aphasia. They also help find out how severe the aphasia is.
Treatment for someone with aphasia depends on things such as:
- Age
- Cause of brain injury
- Type of aphasia
- Position and size of the brain lesion
For instance, a person with aphasia may have a brain tumour that’s affecting the language centre of the brain. Surgery to treat the brain tumour may also improve aphasia.
A person with aphasia who has had a stroke may benefit from sessions with a speech-language pathologist. The therapist will meet regularly with the person to help them speak and communicate better. The therapist will also teach the person ways to communicate that don’t involve speech. This will help the person compensate for language difficulties.
According to the National Aphasia Association, a complete recovery from aphasia is unlikely if the symptoms last longer than two or three months after a stroke
