Factors associated with improvement in global aphasia

Variability in language recovery after first-time stroke

“…Most prior studies of aphasia recovery have not gathered their baseline language data during the acute stroke period,8 9 20 although it is recognised that evaluating patients too soon after stroke onset runs the methodological risk of misconstruing the focal impact of reversible ischaemia as part of the permanent syndrome 21. We therefore evaluated aphasia characteristics early in their course (<72 hours), but waited at least 24 hours after the onset of stroke symptoms to minimise the influence of transient, perfusion-related deficits.…”

Revisiting the Contributions of Paul Broca to the Study of Aphasia

“…Yet, uncertainty of how favorable outcomes occur; whether changes represent true recovery of initial function, acquisition of new behavior, or substitution of performances approximating the original; lack of knowledge regarding the full range of elements that comprise the behavior complex known as language; and the roles peri-lesional vs contralateral area play, the term 'amelioration' was suggested to document at least the lessening of the initial syndrome. (Kertesz 1988;Lendrem and Lincoln 1985;Mark et al 1992). This recommendation has not become popular, with the term 'recovery' remaining in wide use, even if in ignorance of the processes involved.…”