The Neurolexic Effect: How Medical Terminology Modulates Neuroplasticity in Post-Stroke Recovery

Background Language is not a neutral instrument in neurorehabilitation. The terminology clinicians use to describe neurological damage—paralysis, deficit, invalidity—acts directly upon cognitive, motivational, and affective circuits that shape patient recovery capacity. Emerging clinical evidence suggests that words themselves function as neuromodulators influencing cortical reorganization and behavioral adherence. Objective This article introduces the concept of the Neurolexic Effect , proposing that medical language exerts measurable effects on neuroplasticity through cognitive-emotional coupling and contextual modulation. Building upon previous work on neuroplastic medicine [1, 2] and linguistic reframing [3], this model conceptualizes language as a prescribable therapeutic agent within rehabilitation medicine. Methods Five clinical vignettes from European (Marseille, Vitry-sur-Seine) and African contexts (Bafoussam, Foumbot, Douala) illustrate four interrelated mechanisms: the Neurosemantic Coupling Hypothesis (NCH) , Therapeutic Linguistic Plasticity (TLP) , Sociolexical Determinism (SLD) , and the Neurolexic Intervention Model (NIM) . Each vignette demonstrates how terminological choices modulate engagement, emotional valence, and neurofunctional outcomes. Results Across diverse settings, linguistic reframing systematically enhanced motor engagement (mean increase: 55%), therapeutic adherence (mean increase: 38%), and psychosocial reintegration. Verbal prescriptions, culturally adapted expressions, and emotionally charged phrasing activated motivational loops that sustained functional recovery. Preliminary neuroimaging data (Case 3) revealed synchronized activation of dorsolateral prefrontal and limbic structures during emotionally resonant verbal cues. Conclusions Medical terminology is not merely descriptive; it is neuroactive. Integrating the Neurolexic Effect into post-stroke rehabilitation represents a paradigm shift—transforming language from a diagnostic instrument into a therapeutic vector of neuroplastic change. This framework aligns with WHO Rehabilitation 2030 goals by providing a low-cost, culturally adaptable intervention accessible across resource-diverse settings.