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A face that slips, a word that won’t come, an arm that won’t lift—tiny moments that point to massive truths about how the brain works, heals, and sometimes declines. I invited Dr. Roy Hamilton, neurologist, neuroplasticity researcher, and one of the clearest teachers in our field, to help us untangle aphasia, dementia, and stroke with practical language and unforgettable analogies.
We start by separating terms people often blend. Dementia isn’t just memory loss; it’s a progressive decline across thinking skills that eventually limits independence. Aphasia is a language disorder: after stroke it strikes suddenly and often improves over time, while in primary progressive aphasia it creeps in gradually and can ultimately meet criteria for dementia. Along the way, we explore why prior stroke raises future risk, how small vessel disease can silently chip away at cognition, and what high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking do to the brain’s “sprinkler system.”
Then we get tactical. Dr. Hamilton breaks down ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke, how atrial fibrillation forms clots that travel to the brain, and why time is brain when speech slips or a face droops. Don’t sleep it off—modern teams can give clot‑busting drugs, thread catheters to dissolve or remove clots, and save language if you act fast. We spotlight neuroplasticity as the engine of recovery and show why practice is the original brain‑changing tool. We also share how non‑invasive brain stimulation—magnetic and electrical—aims to boost language networks in subacute stroke and help people with primary progressive aphasia hold on to communication longer.
If you or someone you love is navigating aphasia—whether after a recent stroke or as language slowly changes—this conversation blends clarity, science, and hope. Share it with your circle, watch for FAST warning signs, and ask your care team about therapy intensity, prevention, and research options. If this helped you see the brain more clearly, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and pass it on to someone who needs it.
www.aphasiaadvocates.com for Brain Friends Merch
https://www.cognitiverecoverylab.com/seles
https://aphasia.org/stories/announcing-the-davetrina-seles-gadson-health-equity-grant-program/
Our beloved colleague, Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson, passed away January 11, 2025. Dr. Gadson was an extraordinary speech-language pathologist and neuroscience researcher who devoted her energy to studying health disparities in aphasia recovery. She was a fierce advocate for improving services for individuals with aphasia, particularly Black Americans. Her research transformed our understanding of these health disparities and shed light on how we can address them. We were privileged to have Dr. Gadson as a cherished member of our lab community for four years, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as an Instructor of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was still a close collaborator and friend to many of us at the time of her passing. Dr. Gadson was an incredible person—compassionate, inspiring, and full of life. Her dedication to advancing equity in aphasia recovery and her profound impact on our community will never be forgotten. We are committed to honoring her memory by continuing to push our field forward and fight for equitable services for all people with aphasia.
