Language recovery after stroke: how people regain communication skills and how to help
Official title: Neural Basis of Language in Acute Stroke and Recovery
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11362568 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Johns Hopkins team is studying how people recover language after a left-hemisphere stroke and what helps them regain reading, spelling, and understanding spoken and written language.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2002 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $674,449 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC005375-23 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362568 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who recently experienced an acute left-hemisphere ischemic stroke and have aphasia.
✕Less likely to help
Stroke patients with no language impairment or those unable to participate in imaging studies may not benefit.
What this research studies
After a stroke, people recover language skills at different rates. The researchers will track recovery of discourse comprehension, reading, and spelling over a year, using brain imaging and language tests at multiple time points. They will also explore whether people can compensate by using different ways to communicate, such as other modalities or strategies. The study aims to identify personal factors, brain changes, and genetics that predict which recovery paths occur. This could guide personalized therapies to improve communication after stroke.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding recovery pathways could lead to tailored therapies and better outcomes for stroke survivors with aphasia.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown multiple recovery routes; this study extends knowledge by tracking diverse language functions over a year.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hillis, Argye E. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Hillis, Argye E.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
In-bed wearable rehab robot to help stroke survivors recover movement
A wearable robotic device will be developed to help adults who recently had an acute stroke regain movement while still in the hospital.
-
When people are most at risk of another stroke after a minor stroke or TIA
Researchers are combining past trial data to find the timing of highest risk for a second stroke after a minor stroke or TIA so treatments can be better timed.
-
Improving Participation after Stroke: Self-Management Rehab for Sub-Acute Stroke
A doctor- and patient-friendly program delivered virtually helps people who recently had a stroke feel more confident, stay active at home, and improve quality of life.
-
Targeting a brain inflammation regulator to protect cells after a stroke
Aims to test a new approach that tampers with a key brain cell regulator to reduce inflammation and protect brain tissue after a stroke, potentially lowering disability.
-
Predicting brain tissue outcome after acute stroke using AI
A researchers at Stanford are testing an AI system that uses brain scans and clinical data to predict which parts of the brain will recover after an acute stroke and how treatment might help.
-
Helping brain recovery for people with severe paralysis after a recent stroke
This project builds a wearable in-bed robot to give gentle movement and sensory training to adults with severe weakness right after a 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.