The recovery pattern in treated aphasic patients (I) -particularly differences depending on the clinical type of aphasia and the age of patients

Abstract

A retrospective investigation was made into the recovery course of the language impairment of 275 post-stroke aphasic patients who received at least 2 month's language therapy at the Speech Clinic of the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital between 1972 and 1983. The type of aphasia as well as the recovery rate were determined using the Test for Differential Diagnosis of Aphasia (The Roken Test). The results were as follows: (1) The recovery rate and level of the final outcome were different depending on the clinical type of aphasia. (2) A close relationship between the age and the recovery pattern of patients was found in some aphasic types but not in other types. (3) Notable improvement in aphasic symptoms occurred in many cases during the first 18 months post-onset. The period when 'the greatest changes occurred was depe-ndent upon the clinical type of aphasia and the age of patients. Concerning such a period, individual differences were also notable. (4) None of the patients whose language therapy had been discontinued for a time improved during the period of discontinuance. (5) The language deficit in all of the aphasic patients who had had secondary cerebro-vascular accidents or had undergone a brain operation became worse. © 1984, IEEE. All rights reserved.