What is a characteristic speech pattern seen in non-fluent aphasia?

In non-fluent aphasia, individuals typically exhibit a speech pattern characterized by short and limited utterances. This condition results from brain damage, often affecting the areas responsible for language production, such as Broca's area. As a result, people with non-fluent aphasia may struggle to form complete sentences and often communicate in fragmented phrases or single words.

The brevity of their utterances is a direct reflection of their difficulty in accessing the necessary language structures to express thoughts coherently. This can lead to speech that appears effortful, with pauses and hesitations as they search for words. It’s important to note that this speech pattern contrasts sharply with fluent aphasia, where individuals may produce long, grammatically correct sentences that lack meaning. Thus, the characteristic of short and limited utterances effectively captures the essence of non-fluent aphasia.