Writing is a complex mental process that applies to speech and perception, as well as to the motor area. In some cases, there is a violation of the letter, which is associated with speech disorders, but all movements are saved. In this case, agraphia is observed. This is a disease that develops with pathology of the cerebral cortex and is characterized by a loss of probability of writing. At the same time, the person has intelligence, the formed writing skills are also present. Pathology can manifest itself in different ways.
Description
Agraphia is the loss of the ability to write with the full presence of intelligence and without disturbing the coordination of hand movements, which occurs with pathology of the cerebral cortex in the left hemisphere in right-handed people and in right-handed people in left-handed people. In this case, there may be a complete loss of the ability to write, severe distortion of words, breaks, inability to combine syllables or letters. The patient also has a defect in phonemic hearing and auditory and speech memory. An ailment arises, as a rule, in childhood, when oral speech has not yet formed, so children are not able to recognize the sound sequence of words and perceive them only in meaning. Moreover, pronunciation with meaning in children is not connected in any way, therefore, the alphanumeric association is difficult.
Varieties
In medicine, there are several types of agraphy:
- Pure or amnestic agraphy, which is characterized by difficulties in writing words under dictation and spontaneous writing. If a person writes off, then some safety of skills remains. With such an ailment, omissions of letters in words, words in sentences, punctuation marks, elements of mirror writing are observed. Pure agraphia is a violation that is one of the components of Gerstman's syndrome.
- Afatic, which develops with damage to the cortex of the left temporal lobe, resulting in impaired auditory-speech memory and phonemic hearing disappears.
- Constructive, which appears with constructive aphasia.
- Apraxic agraphy, a violation mechanism is observed in all types of writing. With such an ailment, a person does not know how to correctly take a pen in his hand, then there is a violation of the sequence of actions. When writing words, an incorrect ratio of letter elements arises, some of them are written mirror-like. If the form of the disease is severe, then the decay of the pattern of letters is observed, they are depicted in the form of dashes, intersecting each other. All this happens as a result of the pathology of the angular gyrus of the left hemisphere or of the posterior sections of the frontal gyrus.
- Mirrored dysgraphia and agraphy are characterized in the mirror image of letters, word order, direction of writing. Especially often this phenomenon is present in left-handed, mentally retarded children, as well as in violation of interhemispheric interaction.
Causes
As mentioned above, the main cause of the development of the disease is the pathology of the cerebral cortex, which can occur as a result of the presence of tumors, head injuries, stroke or cerebral hemorrhage, inflammatory and infectious processes, poisoning by toxins, etc. In addition, agraphia may appear in babies due to birth injury. One of the options can be considered an injury in which the baby can not learn to talk, respectively, he can not write either. In an adult, the disease is associated with aphasia, in which the ability to express thoughts through spoken language is lost. In frequent cases, agraphia is a disorder that is a symptom of another disease, and not an independent pathology.
Symptoms
First of all, the disease is characterized by deviations in the letter, which is expressed either in its complete loss, or in violation of the structure of words, omission of syllables and letters, inability to combine letters into words, inability to write a whole word, while intelligence is not impaired and writing skills are developed. In childhood, agraphia is a manifestation of alalia, which is formed as a result of brain damage. In parallel, there may be a violation of other targeted mental processes in some cases.
Diagnostics
When making a diagnosis, there are no difficulties. First of all, a neurologist conducts an examination and can immediately make a diagnosis. It is difficult to establish the cause of the development of pathology. First of all, it is necessary to determine the lesion in the brain and its cause. In this case, the parents or close relatives of the patient are first interviewed in detail. Then the doctor prescribes neurological tests: MRI, X-ray of the skull, ECHO-encephalography, CT, blood circulation, electroencephalography, etc.
Treatment
Positive treatment results are given by comprehensive comprehensive therapy. This should include medical treatment, physiotherapy exercises, classes with a psychologist and speech therapist, and a music director. At the same time, agraphia is an ailment that requires long-term treatment. As medical drugs, the doctor prescribes those whose action is aimed at nourishing the brain, improving the processes that occur in it. At the same time, it is important to prescribe treatment in a timely manner so that children do not have difficulties in the future when learning. Doctors also recommend regular training in writing texts, including cheating and dictations.
Prevention
Prevention consists in conducting speech exercises as often as possible. Parents are encouraged to monitor how the child expresses their thoughts, how they connect words, and how his speech develops. Any manifestation of lags or limitations in speech should not be overlooked. In this case, you need to contact a neurologist to conduct a study and prescribe treatment. Having timely responded to the problem, parents will be able to ensure the normal development of their child and protect it from many problems that may arise in the future due to agrarianism. It is also necessary to ensure that the child is not injured, timely treat inflammatory and infectious diseases, avoid intoxication, and closely monitor the health of their children. Adults are encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle, avoid craniocerebral injuries, and prevent blood circulation in the vessels of the brain. Prevention of congenital illness is a conscious attitude to the birth of a child, which will make it possible to prevent the development of pathology during pregnancy and childbirth.
Forecast
The prognosis of the disease is generally favorable. Although the treatment is supposed to be long-term, there is a possibility of restoration of lost functions. A huge role in this is played by timely treatment, its complexity and versatility. Compliance with preventive measures also positively affects the outcome of the disease.