How the brain recovers language after a stroke
Official title: Neural Correlates of Recovery from Aphasia After Stroke
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11364679 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research follows people with aphasia after stroke to find brain and behavior signs that predict who will regain speech and language.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2014 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $129,987 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DC013270-11S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364679 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who recently had a stroke and now have aphasia, especially those able to come to Vanderbilt soon after their stroke, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without stroke-related aphasia, those well beyond the first year after stroke, or those who cannot undergo MRI scans may not be eligible or directly benefit.
What this research studies
You would join a group of people who recently developed aphasia after a stroke and have regular speech and language tests plus brain scans over the first year. The team combines new participants with an existing group of hundreds of patients to track recovery patterns over time. They look at lesion location, structural MRI, and functional brain activity alongside behavioral measures to see which factors link to better or worse recovery. The goal is to turn these findings into clearer guidance for predicting recovery and guiding therapy choices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict individual recovery paths and guide more personalized speech therapy after stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work, including this group's dataset of 380 patients, has shown that lesion location and surviving language regions relate to recovery, but expanded longitudinal imaging is still needed to improve predictions.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Riesthal, Michael R — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: De Riesthal, Michael R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Neural signals linked to recovery from aphasia after stroke
This grant follows people who recently had a stroke and aphasia to understand why some recover language abilities better than others.
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Computational modeling of language in bilingual adults after stroke and with neurodegenerative conditions
A computer-based study will model how bilingual Spanish-English speakers experience language changes after stroke and with neurodegenerative disorders, to inform better care for affected patients.
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Restoring speech with a brain implant for stroke-related aphasia
A study at UC Davis aims to help people who have language trouble after a stroke by using a tiny brain implant to turn brain signals into spoken words.
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Predicting language recovery after stroke using AI
A new AI-based project uses brain scans and personal data to forecast how aphasia may progress after a stroke, with the goal of guiding personalized treatment.
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Neural signals of getting speech back after stroke
This grant studies how the brain changes as people recover speech after a stroke, to help predict and improve language recovery.
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Electrical Field Guided TMS and Constraint Induced Language Therapy for Subacute Post-Stroke Aphasia
This study tests a targeted brain stimulation plus speech therapy approach to help people with language loss after a recent stroke.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.