A person affected by Alogia is characterised by ‘the use of fewer words’ and by ‘answering only what is directly asked’. This is caused by many illnesses such as: schizophrenia, severe depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, Alzheimer’s and traumatic brain injuries.
Alogia can also occur as a secondary effect of psychosis and anxiety. People affected by these may be too paranoid to speak or, in the case of psychosis, have threatening voices in their head. Alogia is most commonly associated with schizophrenia with 15%-30% of schizophrenic patients suffering from it.
As of right now, the exact cause of Alogia is unknown. Theories suggest it could be an impairment of how the brain regions ‘talk’ to each other. Current treatments involve medications such as antidepressants, psychosocial treatment and speech therapy.
