# A Loss for Words: A Case of Aphemia

## TL;DR

This paper presents a case of aphemia, a rare speech disorder, in an elderly man and highlights its distinction from aphasia.

## Contribution

The paper contributes a clinical case that clarifies the diagnostic differentiation between aphemia and aphasia.

## Key findings

- The patient exhibited pure motor mutism with preserved language comprehension and writing.
- Imaging confirmed aphemia with no damage to language comprehension areas.
- The case emphasizes the importance of physical exam and imaging in diagnosing aphemia.

## Abstract

Aphemia, also known as pure motor mutism, is a rare disorder characterized by the loss of motor function to produce speech while retaining the ability to understand, read, and write language. Differentiating between aphemia and aphasia can be challenging in many cases, as they both present with similar physical exam findings. The key distinctions lie in the location of the insult in the cerebral parenchyma, the ability to understand language, and the associated dysphagia. We present the case of a 78-year-old male who presented with new-onset aphasia and was found to have aphemia based on physical examination and imaging findings.