Aphasia vs Apraxia: Difference and Comparison

Both aphasia and apraxia are speech disorders. They interrupt a person to have clear communication. Both are results of a stroke.

Key Takeaways

1. Aphasia involves language comprehension or expression difficulty, while apraxia refers to problems executing purposeful movements.
2. Aphasia results from brain damage, such as a stroke, while apraxia can stem from brain damage, neurological disorders, or developmental issues.
3. Speech and language therapy benefit aphasia patients, while apraxia treatment includes occupational and physical therapy.

Aphasia vs Apraxia

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate. It affects a person’s ability to understand or express language. Apraxia is a motor disorder that affects a person’s ability to plan and coordinate the movements necessary to perform skilled movements, such as speaking.

Aphasia is a condition that affects a person’s linguistic knowledge and skills. The person is unable to understand words as they can not remember the terminology they had before.

In apraxia, a person’s linguistic ability stays intact, but they become unable to produce the sound of the words. The movements that are required to talk do not function properly or at all.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Aphasia	Apraxia
Definition	Aphasia is an impairment in which it is difficult to use or comprehend words.	Apraxia is difficult to execute the correct tongue movements, which are necessary to produce speech.
Area of impairment	Comprehending words are a barrier for people suffering from aphasia.	Making the correct speech sound is not possible for people with apraxia.
Linguistic barrier	Syntax level of linguistic is the barrier for people with aphasia issue.	The phonetics level of linguistics is the area of difficulty for people with apraxia issues.
Hindrances in production	Aphasia makes patients suffer to find the words to give their thoughts meaning.	Apraxia makes patients unable to pronounce the right speech sound.
Restraint	Unable to read and write words and sentences.	Unable to use the right rhythm of the sentence.
Affecting area	Aphasia affects different levels of language skills.	Apraxia affects the motor that is responsible for producing speech.

What is Aphasia?

If the left hemisphere of the brain gets damaged, then aphasia, a communication disorder, might occur. It is not a birth problem. It happens to someone when that person suffers from a stroke.

In aphasia, one loses the ability to comprehend words and, therefore, sentences. One can not perform the linguistic ability anymore, which they acquired over the years.

This ailment can be treated, and linguistic ability can be restored with the right methods. Showing pictures of the words can make it easier to understand the words.

What is Apraxia?

Apraxia affects motor speech production. Here, the affected patient can understand and think of the word but can not pronounce it.

This also has some specific therapy methods that the healthcare providers often suggest. Teaching the sound of words to the patient by repeating them over and over again might show some positive results.

There is also an alternative communication system that does not have any connection with speaking. The patient can use pen and paper to express their thoughts.

Main Differences Between Aphasia and Apraxia

1. .In the disorder of aphasia, one is not competent to understand grammatical sentences, whereas, in apraxia disorder, people can not enunciate the sound of the words properly.
2. A person with aphasia is not capable of reading and writing words as he/she can not comprehend them, and on the other hand, a person with apraxia is not capable of pronouncing the words correctly.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00429-014-0925-3.pdf
2. https://academic.oup.com/brain/article-abstract/129/6/1385/296564