Recovery from stroke: factors affecting prognosis

Objective: Stroke is commonly seen in neuropsychological practice. Individual differences, diffuse damage, and the difficulty inherent in researching stroke create challenges for the clinician trying to synthesize the latest information to educate patients and families on prognosis. The objective of this special issue is to provide an overview of the latest clinical research in stroke - the contributors address assessment and treatment issues that are relevant to practice. Method: We solicited papers from established researchers and issued a general call for papers for the special issue on stroke. Results: We received submissions from several authors, eight of which are included in this issue. These submissions cover both assessment and treatment issues and include two review articles, one on language and one on spatial neglect. Two apparent themes are the utility of early assessment/treatment and the importance of executive functioning in predicting later functioning. Conclusions: The issue highlights the need for clinical neuropsychologists to be aware of the latest research on recovery from stroke and the importance of both assessment and management strategies to reduce impact on daily life.