Transcranial brain stimulation to treat aphasia: a clinical perspective

Transcranial brain stimulation was first introduced and described during mid-1900s. Since that time, the literature on brain stimulation has expanded with spurious advances in techniques and applications, from its use as a purely investigative tool used to better understand brain mechanisms to its use as a clinical treatment for neurologic diseases. This article offers a brief overview of the development, history, and mechanisms of transcranial brain stimulation, as well as an in-depth discussion of transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation; two methods currently being investigated as treatments for aphasia. Our aim is to provide speech-language pathologists with an overview of the current state of literature on transcranial brain stimulation, as initial findings show it may be a promising new tool for aphasia rehabilitation.