TOPIC

Aphasia research

Everything we have read on aphasia. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

320 PAPERS · PAGE 4 OF 7 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2022Adaptation of The Scenario Test for Greek-speaking people with aphasia: A reliability and validity study.International journal of language & communication disordersThe Greek Scenario Test reliably measures functional communication in aphasia. It correlates strongly with caregiver reports and distinguishes aphasia patients from stroke survivors without language deficits. The test allows scoring based on multimodal responses like gestures or writing, not just speech.
• SLPNarrative Review2022Understanding, facilitating and predicting aphasia recovery after rehabilitation.International journal of speech-language pathologyBehavioural aphasia therapies improved trained language skills, but gains varied and did not always generalise. Lesion, network, cognitive and practice frequency measures helped predict response in research studies.
• SLPNarrative Review2022Clinical perspectives and strategies for confronting disparities in social determinants of health for Hispanic bilinguals with aphasia.Journal of communication disordersThis paper outlines barriers to stroke care for Hispanic bilinguals with aphasia, including poverty, limited English proficiency, and digital divides. It describes strategies like teletherapy and community recruitment used in an ongoing trial, but reports no new patient outcomes or treatment effects.
• SLPPilot2022Cognitive Training to Enhance Aphasia Therapy (Co-TrEAT): A Feasibility Study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCombining naming therapy with computerized working memory training was feasible for six people with chronic aphasia, who completed all sessions. Trends suggested the working memory group had better generalization to daily conversation and severity scores, but the sample was too small to confirm this.
• SLPCase Series2022Treatment of the Linguistic and Temporal Components of Lexical Activation to Improve Word Retrieval in Aphasia.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesDelayed repetition treatment helped some people with aphasia, but only those whose word retrieval broke down specifically when they had to wait before speaking. For these patients, practicing repetition with a 5-second pause improved word access and general language scores.
• SLPOther2022Neural regions underlying object and action naming: Complementary evidence from acute stroke and primary progressive aphasia.AphasiologySome people with primary progressive aphasia or acute stroke name actions poorly while naming objects normally, and others show the opposite. Adding a 30-item action naming test to object naming can reveal deficits a standard object test misses.
• SLPNarrative Review2021Counseling and Care Partner Training in Primary Progressive Aphasia.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsSpeech-language pathologists can integrate counseling and care partner training into PPA treatment. Reviews of small studies show these approaches improve communication confidence, knowledge of the disease, and coping skills for patients and families, though evidence remains limited.
• SLPOther2022Validation of an Automated Procedure for Calculating Core Lexicon From Transcripts.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRAn automated CLAN command calculates CoreLex scores from transcripts with excellent agreement to manual scoring. It reduced the time to score 485 discourse samples from 30 hours to under an hour, even for users new to the software.
• SLPOther2022An efficient, accurate and clinically-applicable index of content word fluency in Aphasia.AphasiologyA short word checklist for people with aphasia describing the Cookie Theft picture tracked content words almost as well as full transcription. It could let clinicians score connected speech quickly without offline transcription.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022The effects of COVID-19 on the rehabilitation of persons with aphasia: A scoping review.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsLockdowns and social distancing disrupted aphasia rehabilitation, reducing therapy sessions and isolating patients from support groups. Telehealth increased access but failed for many due to motor difficulties, cognitive issues, and clinicians' lack of online training. Caregivers faced overwhelmed roles and mental health strain.
• SLPOther2022Enhancing the Classification of Aphasia: A Statistical Analysis Using Connected Speech.AphasiologyAnalyzing connected speech from 168 people with aphasia, two simple measures, total words in personal narratives and closed-class words in storytelling, accurately sorted participants into seven distinct groups. These groups often cut across traditional WAB-R diagnoses, suggesting that fluency ratings alone can misclassify severity.
• SLPCohort2022Factors predicting long-term recovery from post-stroke aphasia.AphasiologySmaller brain lesions predicted better long-term language recovery. Greater satisfaction with life participation was also associated with gains, but the link to speech therapy amount was weak and unstable. Do not assume therapy volume drives recovery based on this small, retrospective study.
• SLPSurvey2022Reading behaviors and text-to-speech technology perceptions of people with aphasia.Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNAAfter guided practice, 87.5% of people with aphasia expressed interest in text-to-speech for reading, particularly for longer materials. They did not anticipate using it for short texts like calendars. Individual preferences varied widely, so exposure and personal choice should drive adoption rather than assumptions.
• SLPSystematic Review2023A systematic review of mood and depression measures in people with severe cognitive and communication impairments following acquired brain injury.Clinical rehabilitationNo self-report mood measures can be recommended for adults with severe cognitive and communication impairments after brain injury. The clinician or observer-rated SADQ-10 and ADRS showed some validity in a small stroke aphasia study, but evidence is limited.
• SLPOther2022Using word-picture verification to inform language impairment locus in chronic post-stroke aphasia.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 16 people with chronic aphasia, word-picture verification scores tracked closely with standard comprehension tests. Errors differed from naming: more semantic errors occurred during verification, while phonological errors were higher during naming. This helps distinguish input from output deficits.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Effect of mobile application types on stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMobile apps showed inconsistent benefits across stroke outcomes. Therapy apps improved motor paresis and aphasia in small studies, and rehab videos helped exercise adherence. However, neglect, daily living independence, quality of life, and depression showed no clear benefit or mixed results.
• SLPQualitative2022'I think writing is everything': An exploration of the writing experiences of people with aphasia.International journal of language & communication disordersEight people with aphasia described writing as gradual, effortful, and vital for adult roles, yet often neglected in therapy. They used self-discovered strategies and technology to manage frustration, highlighting a need for person-centred goals that address real-world writing barriers and participation.
• SLPCohort2023Early Subacute White Matter Hyperintensities and Recovery of Language After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairSevere white matter hyperintensities seen on early subacute MRI predicted worse spoken language comprehension at both early and chronic stages, but not production. These brain changes may explain why some stroke survivors struggle more with understanding speech than others.
• SLPOther2022Aphasia severity is modulated by race and lesion size in chronic survivors: A retrospective study.Journal of communication disordersAverage aphasia severity did not differ significantly between Black and White stroke survivors, but larger lesions were associated with lower language scores in Black survivors more than White survivors.
• PTSLPCase Series2023Applicability of automated tractography during acute care stroke rehabilitation.Journal of physical therapy scienceAutomated tractography in three acute stroke cases showed disrupted or blurred motor and language pathways in cases with hemiparesis or aphasia, and intact pathways in one case without those symptoms. It did not test whether this changed recovery.
• SLPOther2022Building Research Initiatives by Developing Group Effort (BRIDGE): Patient-Partners in Aphasia Research.Seminars in speech and languagePeople with aphasia and their families worked alongside researchers and clinicians to form 11 research teams. Participants rated the conference highly, but the language used was often too fast and supports were insufficient. This is a service report, not evidence that a treatment works.
• SLPSurvey2022Designing and Implementing a Community Aphasia Group: An Illustrative Case Study of the Aphasia Group of Middle Tennessee.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsTen long-term members of a community aphasia group reported feeling less lonely and more like themselves, with Book Club and technology use valued most. Seven loved ones agreed the group improved their relative's mood and socialization, though results rely on self-selection.
• SLPQualitative2023'Like going into a chocolate shop, blindfolded': What do people with primary progressive aphasia want from speech and language therapy?International journal of language & communication disordersPeople with primary progressive aphasia and their families want speech therapy that is personalized, starts early, and trains partners. They found generic group sessions and late-stage interventions less helpful than strategies tailored to their specific language variant and life.
• SLPOther2023Measuring communication as a core outcome in aphasia trials: Results of the ROMA-2 international core outcome set development meeting.International journal of language & communication disordersExperts agreed that the Scenario Test (TST) is the best measure of everyday communication for aphasia trials. It uses role-play to score how much information a person conveys and how much help they need. This standardizes how communication outcomes are reported across studies.
• SLPPilot2023Feasibility of Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (RS-tDCS) for People with Stroke-Induced and Progressive Aphasia.AphasiologyPeople with stroke-induced and progressive aphasia could learn to self-administer remotely supervised brain stimulation at home. They completed all sessions without adverse events, and both patients and clinicians found the setup acceptable and convenient.
• SLPSurvey2023Access, referral, service provision and management of individuals with primary progressive aphasia: A survey of speech-language therapists in Italy.International journal of language & communication disordersItalian speech-language therapists reported that 196 of 336 had never worked with people with primary progressive aphasia. Among those who had, half said patients were referred within 2-3 years of symptom onset. Common assessment tools are borrowed from stroke aphasia.
• SLPCohort2023The Apraxia of Speech Rating Scale: Reliability, Validity, and Utility.American journal of speech-language pathologyThe Apraxia of Speech Rating Scale reliably distinguishes apraxia from aphasia and dysarthria in neurodegenerative populations. A total score of 11 or higher strongly indicates apraxia, while 6 or lower suggests its absence. Scores between 7 and 10 require clinical judgment, as reliability depends on rater experience.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Switching attention deficits in post-stroke individuals with different aphasia types.AphasiologyPeople with non-fluent aphasia made more errors and responded slower than controls when switching attention between tones. People with fluent aphasia also made more errors but responded at normal speeds. These deficits occurred even without language tasks, suggesting attention problems are distinct from language loss.
• SLPOther2023DementiaBank: Theoretical Rationale, Protocol, and Illustrative Analyses.American journal of speech-language pathologyA new standardized protocol for collecting speech samples in dementia research was piloted with 53 older adults. In illustrative analyses, people with MCI produced shorter, less varied narratives than controls, but filler use did not differ between groups.
• SLPRCT2023Predicting Outcomes of Language Rehabilitation: Prognostic Factors for Immediate and Long-Term Outcomes After Aphasia Therapy.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRPeople with mild or moderate aphasia improved naming after 30 hours of therapy and kept those gains for six months. Those with severe or very severe aphasia showed no significant naming improvement. Baseline severity predicted response better than age, education, or cognitive reserve.
• SLPNarrative Review2023Theory-driven treatment modifications: A discussion on meeting the linguistic, cognitive, and psychosocial needs of individual clients with aphasia.Journal of communication disordersThis paper discusses theoretical ways to adapt aphasia naming therapy based on learning mechanisms like errorless learning and retrieval practice. It does not test these adaptations or report patient outcomes, so it offers ideas for clinical reasoning rather than evidence for what works.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023An Intensive Exercise Program Using a Technology-Enriched Rehabilitation Gym for the Recovery of Function in People With Chronic Stroke: Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with chronic stroke found a tech-heavy gym program feasible, attending 82% of planned sessions. They valued equipment feedback but needed professional supervision for safety. While physical scores improved, the study did not test whether the intervention caused these changes.
• SLPOther2023Integrity of input verbal short-term memory ability predicts naming accuracy in aphasia.AphasiologyInput-only memory tests predicted naming accuracy in people with aphasia, even those with severe speech output deficits. Better semantic and phonological span scores correlated with fewer naming errors, suggesting these tasks can reveal hidden language strengths.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023EARLY CONSIDERATIONS OF GENETICS IN APHASIA REHABILITATION: A NARRATIVE REVIEW.AphasiologyGenetic factors like BDNF and APOE may influence how well patients recover language after a stroke. This review suggests these genes could help match patients to specific therapies, such as brain stimulation, but no genetic testing is currently used in routine clinical care.
• SLPPilot2023Implementing a telehealth-delivered psychoeducational support group for care partners of individuals with primary progressive aphasia.AphasiologyTen spouses of people with primary progressive aphasia completed a telehealth support group with zero dropouts, proving the format works. Standard mood and burden scores did not change significantly, but most participants reported feeling better supported and more knowledgeable. The group continues to meet without clinician guidance.
• SLPCohort2023When words first fail: Predicting the emergence of primary progressive aphasia variants from unclassifiable anomic performance in early disease.AphasiologyIn early unclassifiable primary progressive aphasia, a Boston Naming Test score of 18 or lower was associated with later semantic variant, and 28/30 or higher with later nonfluent variant.
• SLPRCT2023Individual Differences in Response to Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation With Language Therapy in Subacute Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWhile tDCS did not improve naming overall, older patients over 55 gained more words than those receiving sham therapy. Patients with college or graduate degrees also benefited more from tDCS than those with less education.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Aphasia improvement without logotherapy during motor neurorehabilitation of post-stroke hemiparesis using virtual reality or modified constraint-induced movement therapy: A retrospective cohort.NeuroRehabilitationSevere post-stroke aphasia improved in all three motor rehab groups without speech therapy. Virtual reality yielded the highest language scores and satisfaction. The contribution of each component cannot be separated from general motor training.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2023Novel participant-level meta-analytic evidence for AbSANT efficacy.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTraining abstract words with AbSANT improved retrieval of those words and generalized to related concrete words. This effect was stronger than training concrete words. Patients with milder aphasia or better semantic skills saw the biggest gains. The therapy is most effective when targeting abstract concepts.
• SLPCohort2023Core lexicon in aphasia: A longitudinal study.AphasiologyConfrontation naming tests failed to predict discourse recovery in chronic aphasia. While naming scores plateaued, CoreLex discourse scores improved significantly, showing that relying only on picture naming misses real gains in functional communication.
• SLPOther2023Agrammatic output in non-fluent, including Broca's, aphasia as a rational behavior.AphasiologyAgrammatic speech may be a rational adaptation to production costs rather than lost grammar. Patients omit redundant words to communicate efficiently. Therapy should leverage these strengths by focusing on high-information words instead of forcing complex structures.
• SLPCohort2023Verb Frequency and Density Drive Naming Performance in Primary Progressive Aphasia.AphasiologyVerb naming accuracy in PPA is driven largely by word frequency and semantic density. Patients with semantic and logopenic variants struggled significantly more with low-density verbs than those with non-fluent variants, while concreteness and valency had less distinct impact.
• SLPCohort2023Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden: An Independent Biomarker for Anomia Treatment Responsiveness in Chronic Stroke Patients With Aphasia.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke patients with more small vessel disease in the brain showed less improvement in naming after semantic therapy. This held true even after accounting for aphasia severity and lesion size. Scanning for these markers may help predict who will benefit most from treatment.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A roadmap for research in post-stroke fatigue: Consensus-based core recommendations from the third Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairExperts recommend assessing every stroke survivor for fatigue using a structured interview tool to identify modifiable causes like sleep, mood, or medication side effects. For research, they propose a specific 7-item scale, noting current evidence for treatments is conflicting and insufficient to guide practice.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023Person-centered care for people with aphasia: tools for shared decision-making.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAphasia does not automatically prevent shared decision-making. Supported conversation, written key words, yes/no choices, and co-created communication plans can help people with aphasia express preferences. Training and ongoing team support are needed.
• SLPOther2023Identifying the Active Ingredients of a Computerized Speech and Language Therapy Intervention for Poststroke Aphasia: Multiple Methods Investigation Alongside a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTherapists who documented a clear reason for tailoring exercises saw better word retrieval. Patients who practiced naming words in full sentences also improved more. These two elements drove success in computerized speech therapy, regardless of total practice time.
• SLPCohort2023Longitudinal Progression of White Matter Hyperintensity Severity in Chronic Stroke Aphasia.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn chronic stroke aphasia, worsening periventricular white matter linked to greater aphasia severity over time. Higher BMI predicted periventricular worsening, while diabetes predicted deep white matter worsening. These brain changes appear dynamic, with some participants showing reduced severity.
• SLPNarrative Review2024Naming as a window to word retrieval changes in healthy and pathological ageing: Methodological considerations.International journal of language & communication disordersNo new findings. This paper reviews methods for assessing word retrieval in ageing and pathology, arguing that no single test is sufficient and that clinicians should combine spontaneous speech analysis with structured naming tasks to get an accurate picture.
• SLPRCT2024White Matter Hyperintensities as a Predictor of Aphasia Recovery.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn people with recent stroke and aphasia, periventricular white matter hyperintensities predicted less naming improvement only in those receiving active tDCS. Deep white matter hyperintensities predicted less content production only in the sham group. Baseline white matter health may influence treatment response, but results are inconsistent.
• PTOTSLPOther2024The reliability, validity and clinical utility of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - ten-item version (CORE-10) in post-acute patients with stroke.Clinical rehabilitationThe CORE-10 is a valid, free, and quick mood screen for post-acute stroke inpatients. A change of 9 points indicates 90% confidence in real clinical improvement or deterioration, while a score of 12 or higher marks clinically significant distress.