The emotional impact of aphasia.

In this article we review the negative impact of aphasia on emotional well-being. Depression is the emotional response that has been examined most, and we examine the different causes of depression for people with aphasia. We discuss the relationships between recovery and emotional state and the clinical implications of these relationships, then review briefly issues of drug treatment for depression. We conclude that the emotional impact of aphasia can have a marked negative impact on recovery, response to rehabilitation, and psychosocial adjustment.