The contribution of the Department of Veterans Affairs to neuroimaging of aphasia: One perspective

Abstract

Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made important contributions to the neuroimaging of aphasia. Through the affiliations of VA researchers with medical faculties, a broad range of questions has been addressed regarding the structural, metabolic, and functional changes that occur in the brain of individuals who develop aphasia.

Aims: This report examines some of the work that has been accomplished by VA researchers using CT, MRI, SPECT, and PET imaging approaches.

Main Contribution and Conclusions: The reviewed VA research demonstrates that aphasia results from the dynamic relationships that exist between the impact of structural brain damage on brain function in both damaged and non‐damaged regions of the brain. The resulting concepts have led to innovative strategies for the neurorehabilitation of aphasia.

Keywords:

• neuroimaging
• Veterans Affairs
• aphasia
• positron emission tomography
• MRI
• computed tomography

Notes

This research review was supported (in part) by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute on Aging.