Cerebrolysin as an adjunct to speech-language therapy in post-stroke Wernicke's aphasia: a case report

Post-stroke aphasia is a debilitating condition affecting approximately one-third of stroke survivors, profoundly impairing communication, social participation, and quality of life. While speech-language therapy (SLT) remains the standard of care, pharmacological agents such as Cerebrolysin may enhance recovery through neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. We report the case of a 38-year-old female lawyer who developed acute Wernicke's aphasia and right-sided hemiparesis following an ischemic stroke. Despite timely thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, she experienced significant neurological deficits. Early multidisciplinary rehabilitation, combined with a 10-day course of Cerebrolysin, memantine, and sertraline, was associated with substantial improvements in language, motor function, and independence over a three-month period. This case highlights the potential synergistic effect of Cerebrolysin in a young patient with early reperfusion and intensive rehabilitation, including pharmacotherapy and SLT, especially in settings where optimal post-stroke rehabilitation resources may be limited.