HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Effectiveness of low-frequency rTMS and intensive speech therapy in poststroke patients with aphasia: a pilot study based on evaluation by fMRI in relation to type of aphasia.

AbstractAIM:
To assess the safety and clinical efficacy of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS) combined with intensive speech therapy (ST) in poststroke patients with aphasia.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
Twenty-four patients with left-hemispheric stroke and aphasia were subjected. During 11-day hospitalization, each patient received 10 treatment sessions consisting of 40-min 1-Hz LF-rTMS and 60-min intensive ST, excluding Sundays. The scalp area for stimulation was selected based on the findings of fMRI with language tasks and the type of aphasia. LF-rTMS was applied to the inferior frontal gyrus (IGF) for patients with nonfluent aphasia and to the superior temporal gyrus (STG) for patients with fluent aphasia.
RESULTS:
On pretreatment fMRI, the most activated areas were in the left hemisphere (n=16) and right hemisphere (n=8). The types of aphasia were nonfluent (n=14) and fluent (n=10). The LF-rTMS was applied to the right STG (n=5), left STG (n=5), right IFG (n=11) and left IFG (n=3). Nonfluent aphasic patients showed significant improvement of auditory comprehension, reading comprehension and repetition. Fluent aphasic patients showed significant improvement in spontaneous speech only.
CONCLUSION:
The fMRI with aphasic type-based therapeutic LF-rTMS/intensive ST for chronic aphasia seems feasible and a potentially useful neurorehabilitative protocol.
AuthorsMasahiro Abo, Wataru Kakuda, Motoi Watanabe, Azusa Morooka, Katsuya Kawakami, Atsushi Senoo
JournalEuropean neurology (Eur Neurol) Vol. 68 Issue 4 Pg. 199-208 ( 2012) ISSN: 1421-9913 [Electronic] Switzerland
PMID22948550 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
CopyrightCopyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Topics
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aphasia (etiology, rehabilitation)
  • Brain Mapping
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pilot Projects
  • Speech Therapy (methods)
  • Stroke (complications)
  • Stroke Rehabilitation
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (methods)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: