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A stroke can feel like a lightning strike on the brain’s power grid—which is why the new 2026 AHA/ASA acute ischemic stroke guidelines focus on speed, clarity, and better systems at every step. We sit down with the chair of the writing group, Dr. Sean Pabakaron, to translate cutting-edge research into actions families, clinicians, and first responders can take right now. No jargon, no fluff—just the signals to watch, the questions to ask, and the processes that save brain.

We unpack what changed since the 2018–2019 updates and why more than 50 new trials reshaped the playbook for pre-hospital screening, ER imaging timelines, thrombolysis decision-making, and routing to thrombectomy-capable centers. You’ll learn how tools like FAST and the Cincinnati scale help paramedics identify strokes in the field, why regions now sometimes bypass closer hospitals, and how door-in, door-out time became a critical quality metric for transfers. Inside the ED, we outline the ideal sequence from stroke alert to scan within 25 minutes, to mixing tenecteplase or alteplase, to rapid consults for clot retrieval—because earlier treatment within extended windows still yields better outcomes.

We also spotlight a major breakthrough: meaningful guidance for pediatric stroke. Kids present differently, the data are thinner, and the stakes are high. Dr. Prabhakaran explains when thrombolysis and thrombectomy can be considered in expert centers and how causes shift from congenital factors to post-viral arteriopathy or trauma as children age. We close with practical prevention: midlife blood pressure control, access to primary care, and the simple steps that protect cognition and reduce stroke risk over decades.

If stroke touches your life—as a survivor, caregiver, clinician, or advocate—this conversation gives you a clear map for a faster, safer response. Listen, share with your circle, and help us spread actionable stroke knowledge. If you find this valuable, follow the show, leave a rating, and tell a friend who needs a smarter plan for brain health.

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https://aphasia.org/event/ask-the-expert-february-2026/

https://www.cognitiverecoverylab.com/seles

https://aphasia.org/stories/announcing-the-davetrina-seles-gadson-health-equity-grant-program/

Our beloved colleague, Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson, passed away January 11, 2025. Dr. Gadson was an extraordinary speech-language pathologist and neuroscience researcher who devoted her energy to studying health disparities in aphasia recovery. She was a fierce advocate for improving services for individuals with aphasia, particularly Black Americans. Her research transformed our understanding of these health disparities and shed light on how we can address them. We were privileged to have Dr. Gadson as a cherished member of our lab community for four years, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as an Instructor of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was still a close collaborator and friend to many of us at the time of her passing. Dr. Gadson was an incredible person—compassionate, inspiring, and full of life. Her dedication to advancing equity in aphasia recovery and her profound impact on our community will never be forgott...

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A friendship became a movement when a survivor searching for culturally competent therapy met a clinician who refused to treat equity like an optional add-on. What started as a phone call turned into Brain Friends—a space where lived experience and rigorous science work side by side to make aphasia, stroke recovery, and neuroplasticity feel human, practical, and possible.

We walk through the real story: how instant respect turned into a partnership, how roles formed—one voice translating from the trenches, the other anchoring with research—and how that rhythm made complex ideas usable for families, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers. Then the pivot no one wanted: sudden loss. Grief shows up as silence, stalled projects, and episodes too tender to edit. Naming that pain opens a path forward. “Progress over perfection” becomes more than a motto; it’s a care strategy for speech attempts, therapy homework, and the messy edits that stay in the final cut to normalize real recovery.

Legacy grounds the work. We highlight the scholarship honoring Dr.Seles Gadson, designed to fund equity-centered clinicians and researchers who center patient-reported outcomes and culturally responsive care. Scholarships don’t run on vibes, and support here turns memory into infrastructure—training, mentorship, and research that actually changes lives. Along the way, we talk about trust in healthcare, the realities Black women face in brain health systems, and why clear, simple language outperforms jargon when the brain is tired and the heart is full.

We close with gratitude for a new advocacy award that carries responsibility, an audio message that still lights the room, and a promise to keep showing up for survivors, caregivers, and the professionals who serve them. If this resonates, share it with someone who needs hope they can use, and help sustain the scholarship that keeps this legacy working. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us how you’re choosing progress over perfection today.

https://aphasiaadvocates.com/ for Brain Friends Merch

https://aphasia.org/event/ask-the-expert-february-2026/

https://www.cognitiverecoverylab.com/seles

https://aphasia.org/stories/announcing-the-davetrina-seles-gadson-health-equity-grant-program/

Our beloved colleague, Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson, passed away January 11, 2025. Dr. Gadson was an extraordinary speech-language pathologist and neuroscience researcher who devoted her energy to studying health disparities in aphasia recovery. She was a fierce advocate for improving services for individuals with aphasia, particularly Black Americans. Her research transformed our understanding of these health disparities and shed light on how we can address them. We were privileged to have Dr. Gadson as a cherished member of our lab community for four years, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as an Instructor of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was still a close collaborator and friend to many of us at the time of her passing. Dr. Gadson was an incredible person—compassionate, inspiring, and full of life. Her dedication to advancing equity in aphasia recovery and her profound impact on our community will never be forgott...

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Words don’t just disappear; sometimes the path to them does. We explore what aphasia really is—evidence of brain injury—and why that framing changes everything for survivors, caregivers, and clinicians. Instead of waiting at a broken bridge, we focus on building new routes: consent-based support, yes/no prompts, two-choice options, functional descriptions, and shared signals that turn help into partnership. The result is less pressure, more access, and conversations that actually include the person who’s fighting to be heard.

We also dig into the messy truth of inconsistency. On one day, automatic phrases might show up on cue; on another, a simple sentence can stall. That doesn’t mean the thought is gone. Capacity rises and falls with fatigue, stress, speed, and noise. The wardrobe analogy makes it clear: the clothes are there, the drawers are jammed. So we shift the goal from perfect words to being understood—reframing success as clear meaning, not flawless speech. Along the way, we talk about when “take your time” helps and when it hurts, and how a quick reset like “let me say it another way” can unlock progress.

Caregivers and clinicians will find pragmatic guidance for protecting dignity while improving outcomes: pace the exchange, reduce choices, offer help with consent, and respect “never mind” as triage, not attitude. We name the emotional weight too—grief and depression that often travel with aphasia—and offer a way forward grounded in partnership. If you suspect aphasia after a stroke or head injury, seek an evaluation and bring these tools to your team. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more people find the conversation. Your support keeps this work moving and makes the path to language a little smoother for everyone.

https://aphasiaadvocates.com/ for Brain Friends Merch

https://aphasia.org/event/ask-the-expert-february-2026/

https://www.cognitiverecoverylab.com/seles

https://aphasia.org/stories/announcing-the-davetrina-seles-gadson-health-equity-grant-program/

Our beloved colleague, Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson, passed away January 11, 2025. Dr. Gadson was an extraordinary speech-language pathologist and neuroscience researcher who devoted her energy to studying health disparities in aphasia recovery. She was a fierce advocate for improving services for individuals with aphasia, particularly Black Americans. Her research transformed our understanding of these health disparities and shed light on how we can address them. We were privileged to have Dr. Gadson as a cherished member of our lab community for four years, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as an Instructor of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was still a close collaborator and friend to many of us at the time of her passing. Dr. Gadson was an incredible person—compassionate, inspiring, and full of life. Her dedication to advancing equity in aphasia recovery and her profound impact on our community will never be forgott...