How the human brain supports language in different ways

Background: Language is an essential human faculty. Loss of language (aphasia) after a stroke has a devastating effect on a person's quality of life because it can lead to social isolation, dependence and depression. Compounding these problems, it is not yet possible to predict how much recovery will occur. Approach: My ambition is to understand how the human brain can support language in different ways. Recovery from aphasia will then be explained by whether or not (i) brain regions that can learn to support language in a new way are undamaged by the stroke; and (ii) the patient can learn to engage these regions. Impact: My work will provide an understanding of how the brain supports language after stroke. This will ease the burden of long-term debilitating speech and language impairments by making it easier for patients to plan their futures, their potential for work and the treatment required.