Which disorder is best described as a language disorder that can impair comprehension and expression?

• A. Aphasia
• B. Dysarthria
• C. AOS
• D. Cluttering

Answer: (A)

Aphasia arises when brain regions that support language, typically in the left hemisphere, are damaged. It primarily affects language rather than the muscles used for speech. People with aphasia may have trouble understanding spoken or written language and trouble producing meaningful speech. They might struggle with word-finding, forming sentences, or repeating phrases, even though they are thinking clearly. In contrast, dysarthria is a motor speech disorder where the problem lies in the muscles and control of speech—speech can be slurred or imprecise, but language understanding is usually intact. Apraxia of speech involves difficulty planning the movements to say sounds, so speech is inconsistent and effortful, with relatively preserved language. Cluttering features rapid, disorganized speech and fluency issues, not a primary language deficit. Because the description centers on a language impairment that can affect both comprehension and expression, aphasia is the best fit.