Researchers at the University of Arizona's Aphasia Research Project have developed new writing and reading therapies to assist patients in recovering from their traumatic brain injury (TBI) conditions, including aphasia, which often effects the communication and understanding portion of the brain.

According to news reports, the university is using a collective $1.5 million grant from the National Institute on Deafness and other Communications and the National Institutes of Health to assist patients in recovering from communications disorders that involve more than just language. "Aphasia rehabilitation is typically directed toward the improvement of spoken language, but reading and spelling are also affected," according to reports from the Aphasia Research Project and the university.

Additionally, the university reported that so far, 50 adults who have aphasia have participated in the program while nearly 30 with TBI-related behavioral issues have also "improved their written language capabilities" by participating in the therapy treatments from the project.

Developing Aphasia

The National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) reports that aphasia is a condition "that results from damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language," which occurs on the left hemisphere of the brain. The condition is usually the result of a traumatic brain injury or stroke, however, it can be caused by the slow development of a brain tumor, brain injection or as a result of dementia.

Nearly anyone can develop aphasia and the National Aphasia Association (NAA) reports that "approximately 80,000 individuals acquire aphasia each year and about one million people in the United States currently have aphasia."

While some individuals are lucky enough to recover from aphasia without treatment, this is not common among most victims, who will require therapy treatments that may last several years in order to regain the speech-language or other side effects caused by brain injury-induced aphasia.

Additional TBI Conditions

There are an array of traumatic brain injury conditions that can occur as a result of such an incidence including the following, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• seizures
• infections
• nerve damage
• cognitive disabilities such as thinking, reasoning, problem solving
• memory and information processing disorders
• judgement, attention and multitasking skills
• language difficulties, such as aphasia
• personality changes
• sensory problems
• post-concussion syndrome
• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• coma
• death

Because involvement in a traumatic brain injury can cause severe complications, it is advisable for a TBI patient, as well as friends and family, to seek legal counsel from an experienced traumatic brain injury attorney. By contacting a lawyer, he or she will likely be able to provide a free legal consultation on a potential traumatic brain injury lawsuit, which could result in the award of monetary compensation for injuries endured by a victim.