Wernicke

Wernicke is a term that can refer to several medical conditions and concepts, all named after the German neurologist Carl Wernicke. These include Wernicke's area, Wernicke's aphasia, and Wernicke's encephalopathy.

Wernicke's Area

Wernicke's area is a region of the brain that is important for language development. It is located in the superior temporal gyrus in the dominant cerebral hemisphere, which is the left hemisphere in about 95% of right-handed individuals and 70% of left-handed individuals. Wernicke's area is traditionally considered to be in Brodmann area 22, which is located in the superior temporal gyrus in the dominant cerebral hemisphere.

Wernicke's Aphasia

Wernicke's aphasia, also known as receptive aphasia, sensory aphasia, or posterior aphasia, is a type of aphasia in which individuals have difficulty understanding written and spoken language. Patients with Wernicke's aphasia demonstrate fluent speech, but this speech may be incoherent and nonsensical.

Wernicke's Encephalopathy

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a neurological disorder characterized by the presence of a classic triad of symptoms: confusion, ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia. It is caused by a deficiency in thiamine (vitamin B1) and is most commonly seen in individuals with severe alcohol misuse.

See Also

• Carl Wernicke
• Aphasia
• Encephalopathy
• Neurology

Wernicke Resources
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