Broca's Aphasia

Paper Summary:

This paper is a scholarly analysis of Broca's aphasia, a condition that is characterized by the loss of the ability to comprehend language, coupled with production of inappropriate language. The disorder is named for Dr. Paul Broca of France. While there are speech therapy treatments available for the condition, complete recovery is not usual. This paper provides a review of the relevant scholarly literature concerning Broca's aphasia, includes a discussion of its discoverer, and an overview of the condition, as well as its causes and treatments. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.

From the Paper:

"When he was only 17 years old, Dr. Paul Broca started his career as a prosector and he eventually became Secretary of the Society-Anatomique in his native country of France. In his capacity as a neurological clinician and researcher, he was a prolific writer and was responsible for well over 500 presentations. According to one biographer, Broca wrote a classic 900-page monograph on aneurysms. Despite considerable opposition, Broca helped introduce the microscope in the diagnosis of cancer. However, today he is best known amongst so many other accomplishments for his contribution to neurology the concept of functional localization by cerebral convolution. With his elderly father watching in silent admiration in a memorable meeting in 1862, Broca demonstrated the brain lesion of his first patient who had suffered from aphmie (to be renamed aphasia later by Armand Trousseau, 1801-1867). Based on this presentation and other ongoing observations, Broca concluded that the integrity of the left frontal convolution was responsible and necessary for articular speech (David Ferrier 1843-1928) is responsible for naming this region "Broca's convolution -- the motor speech area? (Dr. Paul Broca, 2000, p. 2)."

More papers on Broca's Aphasia:

• Term Paper # 118161 : "Aphasia"
• Essay # 28763 : "Brain and Language"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: