Aphasia occurs when a brain disorder affects a person’s language abilities, such as speaking, reading, and writing. The type of aphasia a person has depends on where damage occurs in the brain.

Expressive aphasia can happen after brain damage and may affect your ability to speak or write. A few signs include using short phrases and substituting words with similar sounds or meanings.

Misunderstandings and lack of information about aphasia can cause people to draw conclusions about cognitive ability, such as in the situation with Joe Biden, who has a history of stuttering.

Global aphasia is a disorder caused by damage to the parts of your brain that control language. A person with global aphasia may only be able to produce and understand a handful of words. Often, they ...