Exercise as an Adjuvant to Aphasia Therapy

Exercise as an Adjuvant to Aphasia Therapy

The purpose of the study is to reveal if individuals who participate in aerobic activity demonstrate greater improvement in language abilities than patients who do not participate in aerobic activity.

The objective of this research project is to reveal if individuals who participate in aerobic activity demonstrate greater improvement in language abilities with treatment than patients who do not participate in aerobic activity. As secondary objectives, we will determine if there is a direct relationship between either brain efficiency or increases in Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) after exercise and higher learning rates in aphasia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Post-stroke aphasia
• at least 6 months post-stroke
• at least minimally intact auditory verbal comprehension
• pre-morbidly right handed
• native English speaker

Exclusion Criteria:

• contraindications for fMRI (metal implants, claustrophobia)
• inability to pass an exercise tolerance test
• significant depression
• uncorrected hearing or vision problems
• severe apraxia of speech
• regularly perform 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 times per week