Treatment of poststroke aphasia: current practice and new directions

Aphasia is an acquired neurologic disorder that impairs an individual's ability to use and/or understand language. It commonly occurs after stroke or other injury to the brain's language network. The authors present the current methods of diagnosis and treatment of aphasia. They include a review of the evidence for the benefits of speech-language therapy, the most widespread approach to aphasia treatment, and a discussion of newer interventions such as medication and brain stimulation. These methods hold much promise for improving patient outcomes in aphasia; however, additional research regarding the best approaches to aphasia treatment will greatly improve our clinical approach.