You may have seen the headlines when Bruce Willis retired from acting because of aphasia. So what is aphasia, exactly? And does it mean someone has dementia?
Aphasia is something that can happen for someone who has dementia. But it isn’t the same thing as dementia, and I want to clear that up.
What Is Aphasia?
Aphasia is a language condition. It affects language, and it can affect it in a few different ways.
The 3 Types of Aphasia
- Receptive aphasia, sometimes called comprehension aphasia, affects how well someone can understand language.
- Expressive aphasia affects their ability to speak words that make sense. Their ability to express language.
- Global aphasia is when someone has problems with both. Understanding and expressing.
I go through what receptive and expressive aphasia look like day to day, and what helps at home, in understanding aphasia in dementia.
What Causes Aphasia?
The most common cause of aphasia is a stroke. When that’s the cause, it comes on pretty suddenly.
But other conditions can cause aphasia too:
- A slow-growing tumor
- Another type of brain injury
- Dementia
Does Aphasia Mean Dementia?
No. Just because someone has aphasia doesn’t mean they have dementia.
You can have dementia without aphasia. You can have dementia with aphasia. And plenty of people have aphasia without dementia.
When the Bruce Willis news first came out, aphasia was the diagnosis people heard. In 2023, his family shared that he had since been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
That’s why a really thorough evaluation by an expert matters. The language problem on its own doesn’t tell you the cause.
Does Aphasia Affect Memory or Intelligence?
Not necessarily. For people who have aphasia, it doesn’t always mean they have significant problems with their memory or attention.
And it has nothing to do with how smart someone is.
One of the most heartbreaking things I have ever witnessed is in an evaluation with someone who has expressive aphasia. They know in their mind what they want to say. They can put the sentence together in their head. But when they open their mouth to actually say it, it comes out garbled. Word salad. It doesn’t make any sense.
And you can see on their face how frustrated they are. They know what they want to say, and they just cannot get it out.
Who Helps With Aphasia? A Speech-Language Pathologist
When aphasia is present, the best course of action is a referral to a speech-language pathologist.
That’s the expert who can fully assess what kind of aphasia it is, and then come up with ways to improve communication. There are also therapies speech-language pathologists can do to help improve someone’s communication abilities.
Has Your Loved One Been Assessed?
Do you notice real trouble with your loved one getting their words out? Or even understanding yours?
If so, do you know for sure whether they’ve ever been assessed by a speech-language pathologist for aphasia? If you’re not sure, that’s worth finding out.
Watching someone you love struggle to get their words out is hard. Inside the Care Collective, we work through moments like these together: what’s happening, how to respond, and how to take care of yourself while you do. You can learn more here.
Sources & References
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Aphasia
