aprosodia
Pronunciation: ay-proh-SOH-dee-ah
Impairment in the production or comprehension of emotional prosody in speech following brain injury.
Full Definition
Aprosodia refers to the inability to produce or understand the melodic, rhythmic, and stress patterns of speech that convey emotional meaning. This condition typically results from right hemisphere damage, particularly affecting the temporal and frontal regions that parallel Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Patients may speak in a monotone voice despite intact linguistic abilities, or fail to recognize emotional tone in others' speech. The condition significantly impacts social communication and emotional expression.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from general speech disorders. May coexist with other right hemisphere syndromes.
In Context
- "Right hemisphere stroke resulted in aprosodia, making the patient's emotional intentions difficult to interpret." — Speech-language pathology report
- "Family members noted the patient's aprosodia affected social interactions despite preserved language skills." — Clinical observation notes