Aphemia
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Aphemia is the term historically introduced by Paul Broca to describe motor aphasia. In 1930s medical terminology, it refers to a speech disorder in which the ability to speak is selectively impaired while speech comprehension, reading, and writing remain intact.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
APHEMIA (from the Greek a-, negative prefix, and phemi, I speak), under this name Broca described his historic cases of aphasia. At present, aphemia is usually understood as a speech disorder in which the ability to speak is exclusively affected, while speech comprehension, reading, and writing are preserved. Sometimes aphemia reaches a state of complete "speech muteness" (see Aphasia).
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Cite this page
“Aphemia.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/aphemia/