From the Guidelines
Apraxia of speech is a type of apraxia that is associated with non-parietal lobe lesions, typically affecting the frontal lobe [ 1 ]. This condition is characterized by difficulty in motor planning or programming, resulting in difficulty in volitionally producing the correct sounds of speech [ 1 ].
- The symptoms of apraxia of speech include articulatory disturbances, as well as prosodic deficits such as slow rate of speech and restricted variations in pitch and loudness [ 1 ].
- Apraxia of speech typically co-occurs with nonfluent aphasia, and its existence as a pure condition without aphasia is debatable [ 1 ].
- The treatment for apraxia of speech usually involves speech therapy, although the efficacy of other treatments, such as medication, may vary and depend on the individual patient's condition [ 1 ].
From the Research
Types of Apraxia
- Apraxia of speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder that can occur in the absence of aphasia or dysarthria 2
- AOS has been associated with lesions in the frontal lobe, particularly in the Broca's area 3
Brain Regions Associated with Apraxia
- The left frontal hemisphere, specifically the Broca's area, has been implicated in AOS 3
- The right frontal hemisphere has also been shown to play a role in AOS, with inhibitory stimulation to this area resulting in significant recovery in patients with AOS 3
Non-Parietal Lobe Lesions and Apraxia
- There is evidence to suggest that AOS can be associated with non-parietal lobe lesions, particularly in the frontal lobe 3, 2
- Specifically, lesions in the left inferior frontal region, including Broca's area, have been linked to AOS 3
Characteristics of Apraxia of Speech
- AOS is characterized by inconsistent error production on both consonants and vowels, lengthened and impaired coarticulatory transitions between sounds and syllables, and inappropriate prosody 4
- AOS can also be associated with other speech and language deficits, including dysarthria, language impairment, and phonological production impairment 4