Transcranial Doppler monitoring of middle cerebral artery during verbal stimulation in aphasic patients.

Hemodynamic changes can be noninvasively real-time monitored in stroke patients by means of transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD). The aim of this pilot study was to assess hemodynamic changes in both middle cerebral arteries (MCA) in aphasic stroke patients by means of TCD during verbal stimulation. Eight aphasic patients with stroke in the territory of the left MCA were tested by modified Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) within 3 days of stroke onset. Both MCA were monitored simultaneously by means of TCD with 2 MHz probes. Basic MCA mean blood flow velocity (MBFV) values were assessed and monitored during verbal stimulation. Verbal stimulation was performed with 30 photos of objects for daily usage, arranged by function. The same test was performed in 16 right-handed healthy controls. In stroke patients, the mean MBFV were 56 cm/s in the left MCA and 56 cm/s in the right MCA. A mean 30% increase was observed in the left MCA and 22% in the right MCA. In healthy controls, a mean 21.7% increase was observed in the left MCA and 18% in the right MCA. A trend toward higher percentage of MBFV increase was observed in the left MCA during verbal stimulations in aphasic patients as compared to control subjects.