Apraxia refers to an impairment that affects:

Apraxia is a neurological condition characterized specifically by the inability to coordinate the muscle movements necessary for speech production despite having the desire and physical capability to speak. It primarily affects the brain's ability to translate speech plans—cognitive processes that help organize and formulate speech—into the actual physical movements that produce sounds and words. This means that while a person with apraxia understands language and knows what they want to say, they struggle with executing the correct movements in the mouth and vocal system to express those thoughts verbally.

The understanding of apraxia emphasizes the distinction between the cognitive aspects of speech planning and the physical execution of those plans. Individuals with apraxia may have intact comprehension and may be able to produce sounds when prompted, but their challenge lies in the processing pathway between thought and speech. This is what differentiates apraxia from other speech disorders that may involve different underlying issues, such as motor function or comprehension.