In the first study of its kind, researchers have shown that adding an amphetamine drug to speech/language therapy following a stroke may help some stroke survivors more quickly recover their ability to communicate.

After a stroke, many people suffer from aphasia, the loss of the ability to express ideas or comprehend language. That happens when the stroke damages the brain's language center. In this study, people with moderate to severe aphasia received traditional speech/language therapy. Over a five-week course of treatment, some were given dextroamphetamine 30 minutes before their therapy, while others took a placebo. Dextroamphetamine affects the release of a neurotransmitter that may stimulate areas of the brain damaged by stroke and promote the growth of new nerve connections.

Although both groups started off with similar degrees of severity before treatment, there was a significant difference in improved communication ability. The greater gain was seen in those receiving the drug one week after the treatment began. Subsequent evaluation showed that 83% of those who took the drug surpassed the 15-point gain that researchers had specified as a clinically significant change, while only 22% of those in the placebo group achieved that milestone. There were no adverse reactions from the drugs. The study, which was sponsored in part by NIH, was published in a recent issue of the AHA journal Stroke.

Related information: Basic facts - Disease risks | Stroke | Stroke - Rehabilitation