An open-label trial of bromocriptine in nonfluent aphasia: A qualitative analysis of word storage and retrieval

Anemia is a commonly found in aphasia and has been attributed to a loss of representations (storage deficit) or to a loss of access to these represent ations (retrieval deficit). Bromocriptine. a dopamine agonist, was tested o n four patients, two men and two women, with nonfluent aphasia. The patient s were tested in an open-label ABBA design using a stochastic model that me asured the degree of storage and retrieval deficits. All patients showed si gnificant improvements in word retrieval. Bromocriptine map be a useful adj unct in the treatment of selected patients with a nonfluent aphasia in whic h retrieval deficits play a major role. (C) 2000 Academic Press.