Learning About Aphasia

The Psychology Club welcomed Avi Golden to speak about Aphasia, a disorder in the part of the brain that controls language. In 2007 the then-33-year-old Golden suffered a stroke that left him unable to speak. Through a rigorous schedule of rehabilitation—including six hours in speech therapy every day—Golden regained the ability to speak, though with great difficulty and several limitations. For instance, Golden cannot remember names, at least as they pertain to speech itself. That is, other than members of his immediate family, if he sees someone, even a close friend, he can’t say their names. The information is still in his brain but trapped in the pathways between his memory and his ability to speak, so he could still write the name down on a piece of paper and then read it aloud. About 40 guys came to hear Golden, who still enjoys snowboarding and horseback riding as he did before the stroke,  talk about his condition and recovery.