Update in Aphasia Research

The sequelae of post-stroke aphasia are considerable, with implications at the societal and personal levels. An understanding of the mechanisms of recovery of cognitive and language processes after stroke and the factors associated with increased risk of post-stroke language and cognitive deficits is vital in providing optimal care of individuals with aphasia and in counseling to their families and caregivers. Advances in neuroimaging facilitate the identification of dysfunctional or damaged brain tissue responsible for these cognitive/language deficits and contribute insights regarding the functional neuroanatomy of language. Evidence-based person-centered behavioral therapy remains the mainstay for rehabilitation of aphasia, although emerging evidence shows that neuromodulation is a promising adjunct to traditional therapy. These topics are discussed in this review, illustrating with recent studies from the Stroke Cognitive Outcomes and REcovery (SCORE) lab.