Sunday, January 6, 2013

Default-mode network functional connectivity in aphasia: Therapy-induced neuroplasticity

I don't understand this but I bet your doctor does.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0093934X12002052

Abstract

Previous research on participants with aphasia has mainly been based on standard functional neuroimaging analysis. Recent studies have shown that functional connectivity analysis can detect compensatory activity, not revealed by standard analysis. Little is known, however, about the default-mode network in aphasia. In the current study, we studied changes in the default-mode network in subjects with aphasia who underwent semantic feature analysis therapy. We studied nine participants with chronic aphasia and compared them to 10 control participants. For the first time, we identified the default-mode network using spatial independent component analysis, in participants with aphasia. Intensive therapy improved integration in the posterior areas of the default-mode network concurrent with language improvement. Correlations between integration and improvement did not reach significance, but the trend suggests that pre-therapy integration of the default-mode network may predict therapy outcomes. Functional connectivity allows a better understanding of the impact of semantic feature analysis in aphasia.

Highlights

► We are reporting on a group (9) of participants that benefited from SFA therapy. ► We examined functional connectivity in the DMN as compared to healthy elderly controls. ► For the first time, we identified the DMN in participants with aphasia. ► Intensive therapy improved integration in the posterior areas of the DMN in the aphasia group only. ► A trend emerged between DMN integration prior to therapy and improvement in participants with aphasia.

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