Better language through chemistry: Augmenting speech-language therapy with pharmacotherapy in the treatment of aphasia

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Speech and language therapy is the standard treatment of aphasia. However, many individuals have barriers in seeking this measure of extensive rehabilitation treatment. Investigating ways to augment therapy is key to improving poststroke language outcomes for all patients with aphasia, and pharmacotherapies provide one such potential solution. Although no medications are currently approved for the treatment of aphasia by the United States Food and Drug Administration, numerous candidate mechanisms for pharmaceutical manipulation continue to be identified based on our evolving understanding of the neurometabolic experience of stroke recovery across molecular, cellular, and functional levels of inquiry. This chapter will review evidence for catecholaminergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic drug therapies and discuss future directions for both candidate drug selection and pharmacotherapy practice in people with aphasia.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationHandbook of Clinical Neurology
PublisherElsevier B.V.
Pages261-272
Number of pages12
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2022

Publication series

NameHandbook of Clinical Neurology
Volume185
ISSN (Print)0072-9752
ISSN (Electronic)2212-4152

Keywords

  • Adjunctive therapy
  • Amantadine
  • Donepezil
  • Levodopa
  • Memantine
  • Neural plasticity
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • SSRI

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Neurology

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