We are thrilled to announce that our team just received a new R01 grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) — R01DC022663; PI: Dr. Maria Ivanova. This exciting new project titled “Exercising language: Behavioral and neurophysiological changes after high-intensity exercise training in post-stroke aphasia” is a direct continuation of our prior work on exercise and aphasia. In this project we will explore how high-intensity physical exercise, a promising yet underutilized adjuvant intervention, can enhance language, cognition, brain health, and emotional well-being in stroke survivors with aphasia.
Building on the encouraging findings from our pilot work, the new grant will enable us to launch a large-scale clinical trial to:
Evaluate how high-intensity exercise influences language, cognitive, motor, and psychosocial outcomes
Examine how improvements in physical fitness relate to gains in communication and cognitive skills
Investigate the neurovascular mechanisms that link exercise to recovery in the brain
This award marks an exciting next step in the APEX Team’s mission to uncover innovative, evidence-based ways to support holistic recovery after stroke.
