Treatment Outcomes and Brain Mechanisms Associated With Non-Invasive Neuromodulation in Post-Stroke Aphasia
University of Arkansas
Summary
The purpose this study is to test the utility of pairing external neuromodulation with behavioral language treatment to boost therapy outcomes and to investigate the mechanisms associated with recovery. Because all PWA have word retrieval deficits, this project will test if greater language gains can be achieved by supplementing anomia intervention with excitatory brain stimulation to the left hemisphere and will evaluate associated functional brain changes to aid the optimization of neural reorganization to facilitate language processing.
Description
Aphasia is a language impairment that commonly occurs following brain damage (e.g., stroke). While language rehabilitation can yield improved language functioning, treatment outcomes vary greatly across individuals. In chronic aphasia, language gains occur through the brain's inherent ability to reorganize (i.e., neuroplasticity). While Speech-language therapy (SLT) can target various language skills and modalities, the most pervasive deficit across all persons with aphasia (PWA) is difficulty with word finding. Thus, aphasia treatment often includes some form of intervention focused on impro…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Presence of post-stroke aphasia * Single left hemisphere stroke etiology * At least 6 months post-stroke * Age range between 18 and 80 years old * Speak English as a native language * Adequate hearing and vision to complete the tasks Exclusion Criteria: * Severe auditory comprehension deficits (determined by pretest) (i.e., global aphasia, Wernicke's aphasia, transcortical sensory aphasia) * Inability to provide informed consent * Co-occurring history of neurological disease/disorder/injury (e.g., traumatic brain injury, right hemisphere stroke, dementia) * Co-occurrin…
Interventions
- DeviceActive Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation with SLT
Soterix Medical 1×1 transcranial Direct Current Stimulator for Clinical Trials (1x1 tDCS-CT). Excitatory stimulation to the left hemisphere will be achieved through a 1x1 montage utilizing two carbon-rubber electrodes and 5x7 EASY pad sponges (A-tDCS \[excitatory\]left target; C-tDCS \[inhibitory\]right hemisphere). Each PWA will have a unique 5-digit tDCS program code for each treatment phase. One code will instruct the 1x1 tDCS-CT to administer active stimulation as describe above (i.e., 1.5 mA for 20 min). The other will administer 1.5 mA for only a few seconds to simulate active stimulation. SLT will consist of Semantic Feature Analysis, Phonological Component Analysis, and Verb Network Strengthening Treatment
- DeviceSham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation with SLT
Control condition in which only SLT is administered.Participant receives 1.5 mA for only a few seconds to simulate active stimulation, then the stimulation will cease. SLT will consist of Semantic Feature Analysis, Phonological Component Analysis, and Verb Network Strengthening Treatment
Location
- University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock, Arkansas