Gender and aphasia in the Stroke Data Bank.

Aphasia was present in 19.4% of the men and 22.5% of the women in the Stroke Data Bank. There were no gender differences in aphasia incidence among the intracerebral hemorrhages. Aphasia was more frequent among women with infarcts (37.0%) than men (28.3%). When stroke mechanism was controlled for, there was an excess of aphasia among the women with stroke due to cardiac embolism. When stroke site was controlled for, there were no gender differences in aphasia frequency. Wernicke's, global, and anomic aphasias were more common in women than men; Broca's aphasia was somewhat more common in men. Although there were no gender differences in infarct size overall, men with aphasia had larger infarcts than women with aphasia. Although gender differences were small, the infarct lesions producing aphasia in men were more posteriorly placed and the infarct lesions in women were more anteriorly placed, suggesting possible gender differences in the positioning of the language zone in the brain.