Behavioral, Functional Imaging, and Neurophysiological Outcomes of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Speech-Language Therapy in an Individual with Aphasia

Sameer A. Ashaie, Julio C. Hernandez-Pavon, Evan Houldin, Leora R. Cherney*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Speech-language therapy (SLT) is the most effective technique to improve language performance in persons with aphasia. However, residual language impairments remain even after intensive SLT. Recent studies suggest that combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with SLT may improve language performance in persons with aphasia. However, our understanding of how tDCS and SLT impact brain and behavioral relation in aphasia is poorly understood. We investigated the impact of tDCS and SLT on a behavioral measure of scripted conversation and on functional connectivity assessed with multiple methods, both resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs–fMRI) and resting-state electroencephalography (rs–EEG). An individual with aphasia received 15 sessions of 20-min cathodal tDCS to the right angular gyrus concurrent with 40 min of SLT. Performance during scripted conversation was measured three times at baseline, twice immediately post-treatment, and at 4- and 8-weeks post-treatment. rs–fMRI was measured pre-and post-3-weeks of treatment. rs–EEG was measured on treatment days 1, 5, 10, and 15. Results show that both communication performance and left hemisphere functional connectivity may improve after concurrent tDCS and SLT. Results are in line with aphasia models of language recovery that posit a beneficial role of left hemisphere perilesional areas in language recovery.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number714
JournalBrain Sciences
Volume14
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2024

Funding

This work was supported by Grant 90IFRE00020 (awarded to L.R.C.) from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration on Community Living (ACL), National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. E.H. was supported in part by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P2CHD101899. S.A.A. was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under award number K23DC020757. The content of this article does not necessarily represent the policy of the NIDILRR, ACL, HHS or NIH, and the reader should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Keywords

  • EEG
  • aphasia
  • cathodal
  • conversation
  • fMRI
  • functional connectivity
  • scripting
  • speech-language therapy
  • tDCS

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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