Effects of Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Lexical Access in Chronic Poststroke Aphasia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

A successful interplay between prefrontal and domain-specific language areas is critical for language processing. Previous studies involving people with aphasia have shown that executive control processes might act on lexical-semantic representations during retrieval. Modulating the prefrontal control network by means of noninvasive brain stimulation might, therefore, improve lexical access in people with aphasia.

OBJECTIVE:

The present study investigates the effects of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on lexical access in chronic poststroke aphasia.

METHODS:

We report data of 14 participants with chronic poststroke aphasia. We used a sham-tDCS (S-tDCS) controlled and double-blind within-subjects design. Performances in picture naming, verbal fluency, and word repetition were assessed immediately after stimulation.

RESULTS:

As compared with S-tDCS, anodal tDCS (A-tDCS) improved verbal fluency as well as the speed of naming high frequency words, but not word repetition.

CONCLUSION:

The results of our study suggest that the brain network dedicated to lexical retrieval processing can be facilitated by A-tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This finding supports the notion that strengthening executive control functions after stroke could complement speech and language-focused therapy.

• Authors: Maria I Pestalozzi, Marie Di Pietro, Chrisovalandou Martins Gaytanidis, Lucas Spierer, Armin Schnider, Leila Chouiter, Françoise Colombo, Jean-Marie Annoni, Lea B Jost
• Journal: Neurorehabilitation and neural repair (Neurorehabil Neural Repair) Vol. 32 Issue 10 Pg. 913-923 (10 2018) ISSN: 1552-6844 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 30269644 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Aged
• Aphasia (etiology, physiopathology, rehabilitation)
• Double-Blind Method
• Executive Function (physiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Language Therapy
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prefrontal Cortex (physiopathology)
• Reaction Time (physiology)
• Speech (physiology)
• Stroke (complications, physiopathology)
• Stroke Rehabilitation (methods)
• Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (methods)
• Treatment Outcome