Improvement in naming with tDCS and alteration of functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasia: a randomized controlled trial

 Your competent? doctor was aware of this research occurring and already is working on recovery protocols, right? Oh NO, nothing of the sort! Competent persons would know of research occurring in their specialty.

Do you prefer your doctor, hospital and board of director's incompetence NOT KNOWING? OR NOT DOING? Your choice; let them be incompetent or demand action!

Improvement in naming with tDCS and alteration of functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasia: a randomized controlled trial

• Jiayi Zhao,
• Jin Guo,
• Yuanyuan Li,
• Xu Zhang,
• Ying Yuan,
• Yinan Cheng,
• Guoping Duan,
• Baohu Liu,
• Qiuyue Wang,
• Yingxia Ji,
• Qing Guo,
• Jie Wang,
• Xueli Chen &
• Dongyu Wu 

We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Abstract

Background

This study aimed to investigate the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (A-tDCS) over the left Sylvian parietal temporal region (SPT) on picture naming and auditory comprehension, as well as changes in brain functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasic patients.

Methods

This is a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled study. Sixty aphasic patients were randomly assigned to receive either active or sham tDCS over the SPT as well as speech-language therapy for four weeks. Standardized aphasia assessments and electroencephalogram (EEG) examinations were conducted before and after the treatment. The EEG nonlinear index of cross approximate entropy (C-ApEn) was used to assess brain functional connectivity.

Results

The tDCS group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group in both picture naming and auditory word-picture identification scores (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that the group (tDCS/control) was the primary factor associated with improving picture naming. The functional connectivity of F3-P3, F7-P3, T3-T5, T5-P3, T5-C3, T4-T6, T3-T4, and T5-T6 significantly increased following tDCS.

Conclusions

Anodal tDCS over the left SPT can improve picture naming and auditory comprehension in subacute post-stroke aphasia. Potential mechanisms include enhanced connectivity within the left-hemisphere dorsal/ventral streams, the executive control network, and between the bilateral temporal lobes. These functional connectivity changes provide neural evidence for the effect of tDCS on naming improvement.

Clinical trial registry number ChiCTR-TRC-14005072