Amphetamine May Speed Stroke Recovery

Study finds drug helps victims regain speech more quickly, completely

By Robin Foster
HealthScoutNews Reporter

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THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthScoutNews) -- Many of the 750,000 Americans who suffer a stroke each year will lose the power of speech, but new research suggests an unlikely drug may help victims find their voice again.

A University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center study finds that small doses of an amphetamine, coupled with speech therapy, may help stroke victims recover the ability to communicate more quickly and completely. The findings appear in tomorrow's issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

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"This is the beginning of a number of studies that need to be done," says lead author Delaina Walker-Batson. "This implies that we could use it [the drug] to enhance recovery. This drug is an enabling influence helping plasticity. It may make new nerve connections or help ones that are not working."

While amphetamines have been used in stroke recovery for motor deficits, stroke expert Dr. Randolph S. Marshall says, "People have wondered if it would work as well on other deficits that can follow a stroke. It's not a completely surprising finding. It's additional evidence that we can enhance the brain environment, and that [enhancement] can help with stroke recovery."

The researchers looked at 13 men and eight women, aged 41 to 71, with aphasia, a condition in which the ability to speak or understand language is impaired or lost. Twelve patients received 10 milligrams of dextroamphetamine -- better known as Dexedrine -- and nine received a placebo. Both groups received the drug before 10 individual speech therapy sessions over five weeks. The one-hour therapy sessions began 30 minutes after the drug or placebo was given. Treatment began between 16 and 45 days after the strokes occurred. None of the patients showed any dangerous side effects, such as increased blood pressure, during the study.

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