Outline of Final Project

Current Research Hopefully Allows Aphasia Patients Better Treatment

At this moment in time, aphasia is affecting about or even more than one million people in the United States. We think it may never happen to us (especially because many people have never heard of it before), but in reality, the onset of aphasia can happen suddenly and without warning. To put into perspective the lack of education people have on this topic, here is an audio clip from a non-expert:

(Audioboo)

Victims are thrust into a World of No Communication

                The reason people may not realize they are falling victim to aphasia is because this disorder is usually a result of other conditions such as head injury, brain tumor, or stroke. In general, these problems and any other circumstance that kills brain cells in the language processing areas of the brain are the reasons why aphasia occurs. For example, a stroke in the context of the brain means that there is a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. If this rupture occurs near the language processing centers of the brain, there is a lack of blood supply coming to these areas, ultimately causing the death of the brain cells responsible for the language function.

Handicapping Effect of Aphasia Makes Treatment Important

How aphasia affects day to day life and ability to communicate

Many people feel isolated emotionally and feel embarrassed in public (it’s not that victims are not intelligent, they just cannot communicate like they normally would)

Current Treatments Work, But May Take Long Time

Discussion of current treatments included speech pathologists and communication partners

Current Research Looks at Medicinal Drugs to Speed Up Recovery

EXPERT INTERVIEW

Discussion of research studies done by University of California

Name some of the new drugs trying to be used and their intended effects