Quantitative study of the rate of recovery from aphasia due to ischemic stroke

The extent of recovery from aphasia following ischemic stroke has been evaluated by a quantitative method. The greatest improvement was observed during the first 3 months following onset. The rate of recovery was similar for expression and for comprehension, but comprehension was usually less disturbed than expression. Final prognosis depends on the type of aphasia (the poorest prognosis was found for total or global aphasia) and on the severity of the initial insult.