What does receptive aphasia affect?

• A. Ability to speak fluently
• B. Understanding spoken or written words
• C. Ability to write coherent sentences
• D. Memory retention of new vocabulary

Answer: (B)

Receptive aphasia primarily affects the ability to understand spoken or written language. It is associated with damage to the language comprehension areas of the brain, often linked to Wernicke's area, which is located in the dominant hemisphere's temporal lobe. Individuals with receptive aphasia may produce fluent speech and can sometimes have normal grammar and sentence structure; however, they struggle to comprehend the meaning of words and sentences. This leads to significant challenges in both understanding communications from others and processing written material.

In contrast, the other options describe different aspects of language and cognition that are not specifically affected by receptive aphasia. While a person may have intact fluency and the ability to write, their comprehension deficits remain prominent, highlighting the specific nature of this type of aphasia. Thus, understanding spoken or written words is the core area impacted by receptive aphasia, making it the correct answer.