Aphrasia

Psychiatry, Neurology

Also known as: Psychogenic mutism

Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.

Aphrasia is defined in this 1930s encyclopedia as a psychogenic loss of speech. It is described as a symptom of hysteria, often occurring in conjunction with complete mutism.

Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)

APHRASIA (from the Greek a—negative particle, and phrasis—speech), a loss of speech of psychogenic origin; a symptom of hysteria, most often combined with complete mutism (see Hysteria).

Cite this page

“Aphrasia.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/aphrasia/