1. Is There a Relationship between Cortisol and Treatment Response in Chronic Aphasia?
- Author
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Gravier, Michelle L., Hula, William D., Johnson, Jeffrey P., Autenreith, Alyssa, and Dickey, Michael Walsh
- Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate whether levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, predicted response to intensive speech-language intervention for individuals with chronic aphasia (IWA). Secondary analyses explored baseline cortisol levels, change following intervention, association between cortisol levels and aphasia severity, self-reported communicative distress, and chronic stress. Method: Afternoon salivary cortisol levels were measured in 14 IWA during the first and last weeks of a 4-week intensive speech-language intervention epoch. Behavioral outcome measures were collected pre- and postintervention. Results: Cortisol levels did not significantly predict treatment response in this sample of IWA, although a positive trend was present. Baseline cortisol levels were not abnormally elevated, did not change from pre- to postintervention, and were not significantly correlated with any of the behavioral outcome measures. Discussion: Although afternoon salivary cortisol levels did not robustly predict treatment response in this participant sample, future studies may be warranted that include IWA with elevated levels of cortisol at pretreatment.
- Published
- 2022
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