Dysphasia, also known as aphasia, is the medical term for difficulty in understanding and producing language. In multiple sclerosis this is caused by disruptions in the parts of the brain that control your thought, short-term memory, verbal fluency or attention.
Does MS cause difficulty speaking?
MS lesions (damaged areas) in different parts of the brain can cause several types of changes in normal speech patterns. They range from mild difficulties to severe problems that make it difficult to be understood. Medically, problems with speech are called dysarthria.
What kind of speech problems does MS cause?
As many as 40 percent of people who are diagnosed with MS will face speech difficulties at some time. The most common problems are loudness, a harsh quality to the voice, and problems with articulation and pitch. The symptom could hit hard with a relapse, or come and go several times a day on a regular basis.
Can MS cause you to forget words?
Problems with memory and thinking – also called ‘cognitive problems’ – can affect people with MS, but most people will be affected mildly. Some people find it harder to find the right words, to concentrate or to recall things quickly.
Is aphasia common in MS Related Questions
What condition causes aphasia?
What causes aphasia? Aphasia is caused by damage to one or more of the language areas of the brain. Most often, the cause of the brain injury is a stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood clot or a leaking or burst vessel cuts off blood flow to part of the brain.
Can you recover from aphasia?
Some people with aphasia recover completely without treatment. But for most people, some amount of aphasia typically remains. Treatments such as speech therapy can often help recover some speech and language functions over time, but many people continue to have problems communicating.
Can MS cause you to talk with an accent?
Most people with foreign accent syndrome also show symptoms of a psychological or neurological condition. They might have schizophrenia or depression, a recent brain injury, or a medical condition, such as MS or dementia, that damages the brain.
Does MS affect tongue?
MS patients may have lesions of the brainstem affecting the direct nerve supply to the tongue and throat muscles. More commonly in my experience, multiple lesions (MS plaques) involving both cerebral hemispheres of the brain cause a lack of coordination of the tongue and throat swallowing muscles.
Do people with MS talk differently?
Not everyone with MS has speech problems. But if you do, common MS speech problems and voice changes include: Slow or slurred speech. Not being able to control the volume or pitch of your voice.
What is the number 1 symptom of MS?
Feeling fatigued is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms of MS. It’s often described as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that means it can be a struggle to carry out even the simplest activities.
Why am I suddenly having speech problems?
Dysarthria means difficulty speaking. It can be caused by brain damage or by brain changes occurring in some conditions affecting the nervous system, or related to ageing. It can affect people of all ages. If dysarthria occurs suddenly, call 999, it may be being caused by a stroke.
What is expressive aphasia in MS?
Expressive aphasia: Also known as Broca’s aphasia or non-fluent aphasia, this type involves difficulty speaking or writing, though the person understands most speech. Fluent aphasia: More commonly called Wernicke’s aphasia, this type affects the ability to understand what others are saying.
Is MS memory loss permanent?
MS is more likely to affect your short-term memory, rather than your long-term memory. Although it can get worse over time, total memory loss is rare. In some cases, your memory loss might be subtle. One of your family members might notice it before you do.
What happens when MS goes to the brain?
As the disease progresses, the outermost layer of the brain, called the cerebral cortex, shrinks in a process known as cortical atrophy. The term multiple sclerosis refers to the distinctive areas of scar tissue (sclerosis—also called plaques or lesions) that result from the attack on myelin by the immune system.
What deficiency causes aphasia?
Mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. Nutrition deficiencies, such as low levels of vitamin B12, folate, or thymine.
How do you test for aphasia?
Your health care provider will likely give you physical and neurological exams, test your strength, feeling and reflexes, and listen to your heart and the vessels in your neck. An imaging test, usually an MRI or CT scan, can be used to quickly identify what’s causing the aphasia.
How long does temporary aphasia last?
I get transient aphasia. It is probably the second most common aura symptom after visual disturbances. Both of these are incapacitating but usually resolve after about 30 minutes.
Is aphasia permanent or temporary?
The aphasia usually gets better or goes away entirely as you recover and your brain heals with time and treatment. For people who have long-term or permanent brain damage, like what happens with severe strokes, speech therapy can sometimes help a person’s language abilities.
How does a person with aphasia feel?
How does it feel to have aphasia? People with aphasia are often frustrated and confused because they can’t speak as well or understand things the way they did before their stroke. They may act differently because of changes in their brain.
Can you live a long life with aphasia?
Primary progressive aphasia worsens over time. Many people with PPA eventually lose their language skills over many years, limiting their ability to communicate. Most people who have the condition live up to 12 years after their initial diagnosis.