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Published on: December 28, 2014
Intrahemispheric Perfusion in Chronic Stroke-Induced Aphasia
Cynthia K Thompson1, Matthew Walenski2, YuFen Chen3
1Center for the Neurobiology of Language Recovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Stroke can alter brain blood flow, impacting language in chronic aphasia. Increased right hemisphere perfusion and localized hypoperfusion near the lesion correlate with language deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Stroke frequently causes chronic aphasia, characterized by functional language impairments.
- Cerebral blood flow (perfusion) alterations post-stroke are implicated in language deficits and recovery.
- Understanding perfusion patterns is crucial for managing aphasia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cerebral perfusion differences between individuals with chronic aphasia and healthy controls.
- To examine the relationship between perfusion patterns and language abilities.
- To identify specific perfusion changes in perilesional tissue.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to assess cerebral perfusion.
- 35 individuals with chronic aphasia and 16 healthy controls participated.
- Perfusion was analyzed across 76 brain regions, with a focus on perilesional tissue.
Main Results:
- Aphasic participants showed increased right hemisphere perfusion compared to controls.
- No significant hemispheric differences were observed in the left hemisphere.
- Hypoperfusion was greatest within 0-6 mm of the lesion and correlated significantly with language impairment.
Conclusions:
- Altered cerebral perfusion, particularly right hemisphere hyperperfusion and perilesional hypoperfusion, is associated with chronic aphasia.
- Perfusion changes may reflect autoregulatory responses or increased cognitive effort.
- Cerebral perfusion is a critical factor in aphasia-related language deficits and recovery.
