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

MI, Pestalozzi; M, Di Pietro; C, Martins Gaytanidis; L, Spierer; A, Schnider; L, Chouiter; F, Colombo; JM, Annoni; LB, Jost

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.

Patologie/Applicazioni:

• Riabilitazione cognitiva
• Stimolazione elettrica transcranica (TES)
• Stroke
• Afasia
• Double blind

Anno:

2018

Tipo di pubblicazione:

Articolo

Parola chiave:

stimolazione elettrica transcranica; afasia; stroke; Riabilitazione lessicale; corteccia prefrontale; fluenza verbale; Sham; double blind

Testata scientifica:

SAGE Journals

Nota:

Studio effettuato su 14 partecipanti che indaga gli effetti della stimolazione della corrente continua transcranica prefrontale (tDCS) sull'accesso lessicale nell'afasia post-cronica. Abbiamo utilizzato un protocollo controllato dalla sham-tDCS (S-tDCS) e uno in doppio cieco. Rispetto alla S-tDCS, la tDCS anodico (A-tDCS) migliora la fluidità verbale e la velocità di denominare le parole con alta frequenza, ma non la ripetizione delle parole. I risultati dello studio suggeriscono che la rete cerebrale dedicata all'elaborazione del richiamo lessicale può essere facilitata dalla A-tDCS sulla corteccia prefrontale dorsolaterale sinistra.

DOI:

10.1177/1545968318801551