primary progressive aphasia

American  

[prahy-mer-ee pruh-gres-iv uh-fey-zhuh, prahy-muh-ree] / ˈpraɪ mɛr i prəˈgrɛs ɪv əˈfeɪ ʒə, ˈpraɪ mə ri /

noun

1. a language disorder associated with frontotemporal dementia, characterized by the gradual loss of a previously held ability to speak, write, sign, or understand language, and caused by a neurodegenerative disease: There are three subtypes of primary progressive aphasia, the first distinguished by fluent but semantically empty speech fluent variant or semantic dementia, the second by difficulty in finding words as well as by language consisting of content words but lacking grammatical elements nonfluent variant, and the third by preserved grammar but a difficulty in finding words when speaking logopenic variant. PPA

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Etymology

Origin of primary progressive aphasia

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Willis has primary progressive aphasia, the second-most common form.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2025

The findings have implications for potentially steering neuroscience studies toward regions of the brain that process language, when investigating MCI and other forms of dementia, such as primary progressive aphasia.

From Science Daily • Feb. 29, 2024

The statement said the 59-year-old’s diagnoses of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia “have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life” and have behavioral and cognitive impacts.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2024

Terence Graham Parry Jones, who passed on Tuesday night in his North London home at the age of 77, was struggling with primary progressive aphasia, a neurological disease that causes communications impairment.

From Salon • Jan. 22, 2020

His wife, Maureen, said the cause was complications of primary progressive aphasia.

From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2017