Characteristics of Wernicke's Aphasia

Language Comprehension Deficits

• The language comprehension is severely impaired in Wernicke's aphasia, with deficits in word comprehension strongly correlated with blood flow in the Wernicke area 1, 2, 3
• Comprehension deficits are associated with damage to the ventral extreme capsule and the posterior middle temporal gyrus 2, 3

Language Production and Other Deficits

• Both reading and writing are affected in Wernicke's aphasia, as comprehensive language assessment should include comprehension, expression, reading, and writing 4
• Wernicke's aphasia impacts multiple linguistic domains, including reading and writing 4

Recovery and Neuroanatomical Correlates

• Recovery of word comprehension is associated with reperfusion of the Wernicke area 1, 2, 3