STROKE AS A MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM: SPEECH AND COGNITIVE CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and long-term disability worldwide, particularly affecting adults in middle and older age. According to the World Health Organization, stroke ranks third among global causes of death and results in millions of new cases annually, with a significant proportion of survivors experiencing permanent disability. One of the most common consequences of stroke is speech impairment, including aphasia, dysarthria, and related cognitive-communicative disorders, which affect approximately one-third of patients with focal brain lesions.