Which statement best describes aphasia?

• A. Aphasia is a disorder of memory loss
• B. Aphasia affects understanding or producing language
• C. Aphasia is a motor control disorder
• D. Aphasia is a visual processing impairment

Answer: (B)

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by brain injury that disrupts a person’s ability to understand language, speak fluently, read, or write. It is not primarily a memory problem, a motor control issue, or a visual processing difficulty. The defining feature is difficulty with language itself—either in understanding what is said, finding the right words, or organizing speech. For this reason, the statement that aphasia affects understanding or producing language best describes the condition. (A brief example: someone may comprehend spoken words slowly or inadequately, or struggle to name objects or form coherent sentences, even though their memory and vision are intact.)