DUbbing Language-therapy CINEma-based in Aphasia post-Stroke (DULCINEA): study protocol for a randomized crossover...

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Communication impairment, specifically post-stroke aphasia, affects 15-42% of survivors, hindering social reintegration.
• Improving communication recovery is a key research priority following stroke.
• This study addresses the need for novel therapeutic approaches for post-stroke aphasia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel therapy integrating dubbing techniques for functional communication improvement in post-stroke aphasia.
• To assess the efficacy of this new therapeutic tool using standardized assessments.
• To explore the potential of computer technology in aphasia rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• Development of a cinema-based dubbed language therapy (WP1) involving clip selection, muting, and guided patient dubbing.
• A randomized, crossover, pilot study (WP2) with 54 non-fluent aphasia patients, treated twice weekly for 8 weeks.
• Primary outcomes measured by pre/post differences in the Communicative Activity Log (CAL) and Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) scores.

Main Results:

• The study will evaluate changes in CAL and BDAE scores as primary outcomes.
• Secondary outcomes include assessments using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12, SAQOL-39, WAB-R, and SADQ10.
• Results will be disseminated through educational activities and patient associations.

Conclusions:

• This pilot trial will investigate the effectiveness of a novel dubbing-based therapy for post-stroke aphasia.
• The therapy integrates dubbing techniques and computer technology to enhance functional communication.
• Standardized test assessments will be used to evaluate therapeutic outcomes.