What speech characteristics are often present in individuals with fluent aphasia?

Individuals with fluent aphasia typically display speech characteristics that include high fluency, which means they can produce speech that is grammatically correct and often has a normal rate and rhythm. However, they also tend to incorporate paraphasias—where words are substituted or distorted—and neologisms, which are language creations that may not hold meaning in standard vocabulary. This combination allows for lengthy, fluent speech, but the content may be nonsensical or difficult to understand due to these errors. The presence of these characteristics highlights the fluid nature of their speech while pointing toward significant deficits in word retrieval and meaning.

In contrast, the other options describe various characteristics that may not accurately reflect fluent aphasia. For example, poor comprehension and high effort suggest a struggle with language processing, which is not typical for those with fluent aphasia, as they produce speech effortlessly. Slow rate and limited vocabulary imply a more non-fluent approach, which is not the case for fluent aphasia. Lastly, frequent pauses and agrammatism are associated with non-fluent aphasia, characterized by broken speech patterns and grammatical omissions, further differentiating it from fluent aphasia.