What is the medical term for the loss of ability to understand or express speech?

The medical term for the loss of ability to understand or express speech is aphasia. This condition can occur as a result of damage to the parts of the brain that are responsible for language processing, which may be due to a stroke, head injury, or other neurological conditions. Individuals with aphasia may have difficulty speaking, forming sentences, finding the right words, or comprehending spoken or written language, depending on the type and severity of the condition.

Dysphagia refers specifically to difficulty swallowing, not a loss of language skills. Apraxia involves difficulty with the motor movements necessary to speak, despite having the desire and physical ability to communicate. Agnosia is a condition in which a person is unable to recognize and process sensory information, which may affect recognition of objects or faces but does not specifically pertain to speech understanding or expression. Thus, aphasia accurately describes the loss of ability to communicate effectively through language.