What condition is characterized by the inability to comprehend speech?

Wernicke's aphasia is characterized by difficulty in understanding spoken language. Individuals with this condition often produce fluent speech that may lack meaning or coherence, and they struggle to comprehend both spoken and written language. This impairment is primarily linked to damage in the Wernicke's area of the brain, which is crucial for language processing and understanding.

In contrast, Broca's aphasia is primarily associated with challenges in producing speech rather than comprehension. Individuals with Broca's aphasia can often understand language quite well but find it difficult to physically articulate their thoughts. Memory loss is a broader cognitive issue that may impact various functions but is not specifically aligned with language comprehension deficits. Motor aphasia, similar to Broca's aphasia, primarily affects the physical ability to speak rather than the understanding of language itself. Therefore, Wernicke's aphasia is the condition that best describes the inability to comprehend speech.