Primary progressive aphasia

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Primary progressive aphasia
Regions of the left hemisphere that can give rise to aphasia when damaged.
Specialty	Neurology

In neuropathy, primary progressive aphasia (PPA)^[1] is a type of neurological syndrome in which language capabilities slowly and progressively become impaired. As with other types of aphasia, the symptoms that accompany PPA depend on what parts of the brain's left hemisphere are significantly damaged. However, unlike most other aphasias, PPA results from continuous deterioration in brain tissue, which leads to early symptoms being far less detrimental than later symptoms.

Those with PPA slowly lose the ability to speak, write, read, and generally comprehend language. Eventually, almost every patient becomes mute and completely loses the ability to understand both written and spoken language.^[2] Although it was first described as solely impairment of language capabilities while other mental functions remain intact,^[2] it is now recognized that many, if not most of those with PPA experience impairment of memory, short-term memory formation and loss of executive functions.

It was first described as a distinct syndrome by M. Marsel Mesulam in 1982.^[3] PPAs have a clinical and pathological overlap with the frontotemporal lobar degeneration spectrum of disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Unlike those affected by Alzheimer's, people with PPA are generally able to maintain self-sufficiency.