Luria’s classification of aphasias and its theoretical basis

Abstract

Background: Every qualified neuropsychologist knows about Luria’s contribution to neuropsychology and aphasiology in general, but many of them believe his ideas to be out of date.Aims: The purpose of this article is to investigate Alexander Luria’s methodology of classification of aphasias and to describe the forms of aphasias that he distinguished.Main contribution: The article shows that the classification of aphasias was based on a profound theoretical research performed by Luria together with the founder of cultural-historical psychology, Lev Vygotsky. Their theoretical views including systemic, dynamic, evolutionary, and socio-cultural approaches to the analysis of functioning and disintegration of higher mental functions are congenial to the contemporary cognitive neuroscience. The descriptions of Luria’s classic forms of aphasia are updated using more recent data from Russian aphasiologists. The article provides the comparison of Russian and Western classifications of aphasias.Conclusions: Understanding the main ideas of the Vygotskian–Lurian neuropsychology, and particularly of Luria’s classification of aphasias, may be useful for the contemporary cognitive neuroscience and for the rehabilitation of patients with aphasia.