Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation in Subacute Aphasia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Autor: Melissa D. Stockbridge, Jordan Elm, Bonnie L. Breining, Donna C. Tippett, Rajani Sebastian, Christy Cassarly, Abeba Teklehaimanot, Leigh Ann Spell, Shannon M. Sheppard, Emilia Vitti, Kristina Ruch, Emily B. Goldberg, Catherine Kelly, Lynsey M. Keator, Julius Fridriksson, Argye E. Hillis
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Stroke. 54:912-920
ISSN: 1524-4628
0039-2499
Popis: Background: Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising adjunct to therapy for chronic aphasia. Methods: This single-center, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled efficacy trial tested the hypothesis that anodal tDCS augments language therapy in subacute aphasia. Secondarily, we compared the effect of tDCS on discourse measures and quality of life and compared the effects on naming to previous findings in chronic stroke. Right-handed English speakers with aphasia Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between the tDCS (N=30) and sham (N=28) groups: patients were 65 years old, 53% male, and 2 months from stroke onset on average. In intent-to-treat analysis, the adjusted mean change from baseline to 1-week posttreatment in picture naming was 22.3 (95% CI, 13.5–31.2) for tDCS and 18.5 (9.6–27.4) for sham and was not significantly different. Content and efficiency of picture description improved more with tDCS than sham. Groups did not differ in quality of life improvement. No patients were withdrawn due to adverse events. Conclusions: tDCS did not improve recovery of picture naming but did improve recovery of discourse. Discourse skills are critical to participation. Future research should examine tDCS in a larger sample with richer functional outcomes. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT02674490.
Databáze: OpenAIRE