Amphetamine in the Treatment of Aphasia

From 2001 so I don't know what has been done since then.

Amphetamine in the Treatment of Aphasia

—A number of studies suggest that drugs which increase the release of norepinephrine promote —In a prospective, double-blind study, 21 aphasic patients with an acute nonhemorrhagic infarction were —Although there were no differences between the drug and placebo groups before treatment (P!0.807), by 1 weekP!0.0153), withP!0.0482) after correction for multiple comparisons. —Administration of dextroamphetamine paired with 10 1-hour sessions of speech/language therapy facilitated(Stroke. 2001;32:2093-2098.)

Background and Purpose

recovery when administered late (days to weeks) after brain injury in animals. A small number of clinical studies have

investigated the effects of the noradrenergic agonist dextroamphetamine in patients recovering from motor deficits

following stroke. To determine whether these findings extend to communication deficits subsequent to stroke, we

administered dextroamphetamine, paired with speech/language therapy, to patients with aphasia.

Methods

randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg dextroamphetamine or a placebo. Patients were entered between days 16 and

45 after onset and were treated on a 3-day/4-day schedule for 10 sessions. Thirty minutes after drug/placebo

administration, subjects received a 1-hour session of speech/language therapy. The Porch Index of Communicative

Ability was used at baseline, at 1 week off the drug, and at 6 months after onset as the dependent language measure.

Results

after the 10 drug treatments ended there was a significant difference in gain scores between the groups (

the greater gain in the dextroamphetamine group. The difference was still significant when corrected for initial aphasia

severity and age. At the 6-month follow-up, the difference in gain scores between the groups had increased; however,

the difference was not significant (

Conclusions

recovery from aphasia in a small group of patients in the subacute period after stroke. Neuromodulation with

dextroamphetamine, and perhaps other drugs that increase central nervous system noradrenaline levels, may facilitate

recovery when paired with focused behavioral treatment.