Neurologically Based Disorders of Speech and Language Among Older Adults

Abstract

The ability to understand and communicate a message may be one of the least appreciated skills men and women inherit. Our facility to interconnect words to form complete sentences, to in turn, convey a particular message through the use of a particular set of muscles becomes second nature and fully automatic. Unfortunately, insight into the true importance of the communicative act usually comes only when the system suffers permanent or temporary damage. Loss of the facility to communicate focuses one's attention on the importance of communication in our everyday experiences. There are few problems or accomplishments that do not require some need for advanced reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Among those at greatest risk for sustaining impairment of any of those skills are older adults. The re are a multiplicity of potentially interrelated variables that may be responsible for impaired communication skills among older adults. They can be generally divided into variables that include communication problems related to changes in the person's sociologic or psychologic health, situational demands that require speed and accuracy causing the system to malfunction, and known or suspected anatomic or physiologic changes that are related to medical complications that one may experience during the aging process. The known medical risks that occur in advancing years increase the probability of compromising the communicative system. Most of these changes are secondary to either demonstrable or suspected neurologic disease in the central nervous system. Any suspected deviations from previous levels of communicative effectiveness may be the first sign of pathology within the individual's central nervous system. The purpose of this article is to explore those neurogenic speech and language disorders that are found primarily in an elderly population. It is designed to assist the specialist in identification and differentiation of the characteristics of each disorder. Correct identification will lead to successful treatment and management approaches.