What is the Difference Between Fluent and Non Fluent Aphasia?

The main difference between fluent and non-fluent aphasia lies in the ability to produce speech and its comprehensibility. Here are the key differences between the two:

Fluent Aphasia:

• Also known as receptive aphasia.
• Occurs due to damage in the posterior part or Wernicke's area of the brain.
• Patients can speak in sentences that sound like normal speech, but some words may be made-up or incorrect.
• Comprehension is impaired, and patients may use vague or filler words.
• Examples of fluent aphasia syndromes include Wernicke, transcortical sensory, conduction, and anomic.

Non-Fluent Aphasia:

• Also known as expressive aphasia.
• Occurs due to damage in the anterior part or Broca's area of the brain.
• Patients struggle to get words out, omit words, and speak in very short sentences.
• Comprehension is preserved, and patients can understand others.
• Examples of non-fluent aphasia syndromes include Broca, transcortical motor, mixed transcortical, and global.

Both fluent and non-fluent aphasia can result from brain injuries, such as strokes or tumors, and lead to difficulty speaking, reading, or understanding others. Treatment for both types typically involves speech-language therapy to help improve communication.

Comparative Table: Fluent vs Non Fluent Aphasia

Here is a table comparing fluent and non-fluent aphasia:

Fluent aphasia is characterized by a lack of meaning in speech, while non-fluent aphasia is characterized by difficulty or halting speech production. In fluent aphasia, patients can understand others and produce connected speech, but the content of their message lacks meaning. In non-fluent aphasia, speech is difficult or halting, and some words may be absent, but a listener can still understand what the speaker is trying to say.