Diagnosis of aphasia: Bruce Willis ends his career – what is behind the disease?

Created: 3/31/2022Updated: 3/31/2022 2:57 p.m

By: Sophie Waldner

US actor Bruce Willis is expected to star in a remake of the 1974 thriller A Man Sees Red.

Photo: Britta Pedersen © Britta Pedersen

Aphasia occurs as a result of brain damage.

Affected is US actor Bruce Willis.

What is behind the diagnosis that ended his career?

The news of actor Bruce Willis retiring came as a surprise.

The reason for this is the diagnosis of aphasia.

This is a speech disorder* that occurs as a result of brain damage.

Translated, aphasia means “ loss of

”.

Those affected have the words on the tip of their tongues, but the right words don’t want to come out of their mouths.

This disrupts the flow of speech.

We explain how aphasia manifests itself, explain causes and forms and present therapy approaches.

Aphasia: what is it and what are the causes behind it?

From a medical point of view, aphasia is a speech disorder that is caused by an illness.

The cause is a

.

As

reports, around 270,000 people are affected in Germany every year.

80 percent of them are over 60 years old.

After a stroke, those affected often suffer from aphasia.

However, the speech disorder also occurs after a traumatic brain injury, tumours, cerebral hemorrhage, inflammation and other diseases of the central nervous system.

How does aphasia manifest itself and what forms are there?

Aphasia occurs suddenly and severely restricts those affected.

From now on, speaking, reading, understanding and also writing will be much more difficult for them than usual.

Since the

is disturbed, communication difficulties are inevitable.

Word-finding difficulties and problems with writing are just a few of the hurdles that arise from this.

However, aphasia often does not occur alone, but in connection with other neurological disorders.

These include, for example, swallowing disorders, hemiplegia, seizures or memory disorders.

Aphasia is classified into four standard syndromes:

• Global aphasia:

  the most severe form in which those affected can hardly or not speak at all.

• Broca's aphasia (motor aphasia)

  : Sufferers can no longer speak fluently.

• Wernicke aphasia:

  Speech comprehension is impaired, but the flow of speech is still well preserved.

• Amnestic aphasia:

  Those affected mainly suffer from word-finding disorders.

Aphasia: How it is diagnosed

To find out if aphasia is present, different

• language comprehension

• sentence structure (syntax)

• Sound structure (phonology)

• Word and sentence meaning (semantics)

• word shape (morphology)

• Reading disorders (dyslexia)

• Disorders of speech movements (speech apraxia)

• Writing disorders (dysgraphia)

• Disorders of articulation, vocalization and speech breathing (dysarthrophonia)

In addition,

checked:

• memory

• orientation

• concentration and attention

• Auditory and visual perception

• action planning

• Drive and psychomotor pace

• Spatial-constructive disorders

• numeracy

• mood and affectivity

Aphasia: What therapies are there?

There are different rehabilitation treatments to restore the ability to communicate.

As

explains, the most effective result is possible with intensive treatment.

Whether in an

, the therapy can include the following methods:

• Occupational therapy (exercises to relearn everyday skills)

• Speech therapy (speech therapy and/or linguistics) including computer-assisted speech therapy

• Physiotherapy (for paralysis and restricted mobility)

• Neuropsychological therapy (to improve attention and memory, among other things)

• Physical therapies (electrotherapy, massage, baths)

In order to be able to develop a mutual understanding of the diagnosis and the therapy at an early stage, the

.

In any case, the goal is to return the aphasia sufferer to a life that is as normal as possible.