Language & Neural Recovery from Stroke

A fundamental aspect of our existence is that spoken language is our primary means of communication with others. Unfortunately, the ability to speak is impaired following stroke. It is unclear what drives successful recovery of language production following stroke. The SchnurLab uses cognitive behavioral testing, quantitative (structural, diffusion tensor imaging, perfusion) and functional neuroimaging (resting state functional connectivity), and statistical modeling to understand how multiword production and the neural structures that support it change during recovery following by testing participants within 72 hours of stroke (acute stage) and again at 1, 6, and 12 months after stroke. We recruit participants in the acute phase after stroke in collaboration with the three comprehensive stroke centers in the Houston Texas Medical Center (Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Baylor St. Luke’s Hospital). Results from this project will help us gain predictive power to assess what types of brain damage and behavior lead to chronic language loss, thus informing both psychological theories and treatment approaches to language.