Which communication disorder is characterized by significant deficits in auditory language comprehension?

Wernicke's aphasia is characterized by significant deficits in auditory language comprehension. Individuals with this type of aphasia typically have fluent speech, but their ability to understand spoken language is severely impaired. This results in difficulty grasping the meaning of words and sentences, often leading to nonsensical or irrelevant speech. The brain region associated with Wernicke's aphasia is the left posterior superior temporal gyrus, which is crucial for language comprehension.

In contrast, other communication disorders, such as global aphasia, affect overall language capabilities more severely, including both expressive and receptive language. Broca's aphasia primarily impacts expressive language while leaving auditory comprehension relatively intact. Right-hemisphere communication impairment does not specifically focus on auditory comprehension deficits; rather, it may involve challenges with pragmatic aspects of communication, such as understanding context and nonverbal cues. Wernicke’s aphasia distinctly highlights the challenges with comprehension, making it the correct answer in this context.