5. A Battle of Words: Language Impairments in Pick’s Disease
Language, the medium through which we express thoughts, emotions, and information, takes a hit in Pick’s disease. The condition often leads to what’s known as ‘Primary Progressive Aphasia‘ (PPA), a type of language impairment that makes it difficult for the individual to speak, write, or even understand language.
Consider the process of communicating as a pipeline, where words flow smoothly from one end to the other. Now, what if this pipeline gets blocked or leaks at multiple points? The flow of words is disrupted. This is what happens in Pick’s disease when PPA sets in.
One aspect of PPA is ‘expressive aphasia‘, where the person struggles to find the right words to express themselves. They might speak in short, fragmented sentences or even have trouble naming everyday objects. It’s like being in a labyrinth of words, unable to find the right path.
Another manifestation is ‘receptive aphasia’, where the person has difficulty understanding spoken or written language. This isn’t about hearing loss or lack of attention. Instead, the brain struggles to process and interpret the words it receives, making comprehension a challenge.(5)
