Causes of aphasia
The most common cause of Aphasia is stroke, which can cause blood vessels within the brain to rupture or become blocked and result in the loss of blood to the portions of the brain that control speech, according to Mayo Clinic. When blood flow to the brain is inhibited, brain damage can occur and lead to aphasia.
While stroke is the most frequent genesis of Aphasia, other causes can include a traumatic brain injury (TBI), infection within the brain, and a tumor that grows and blocks blood flow to parts of the brain that control language (per Centre for Neuro Skills). Stroke and head injury are two ways that aphasia is typically brought on suddenly, while tumors can grow slowly and prompt symptoms of aphasia to appear over time. Of course, there is no absolute way to know exactly how aphasia will be caused as each source of the condition and each person’s experience are unique.
Aphasia can also be caused by dementia, but aphasia itself is not a form of dementia (via Stroke Association). Rather, aphasia can be a symptom of dementia as the parts of the brain that control speech deteriorate and become damaged over time.