Is Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Effective in Treating Severe Dysarthria: Insights from a Case Study

Dysarthria refers to a group of disorders resulting from disturbances in neuromuscular control over the speech mechanisms due to damage of the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS). Rehabilitation outcomes of dysarthria significantly depend on the collaboration skills of the patients. This case study aimed to investigate the potential role of neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES) in improving severe dysarthria. An 18-year-old man affected by severe dysarthria following postanoxic brain injury underwent two different intensive rehabilitation trainings: conventional rehabilitation alone, followed by NMES training alone. We evaluated patient articulation function before and after each training. The overall NMES program was scheduled in daily sessions of 30 minutes, six days a week, for four consecutive weeks. The patient did not report any side effects either during or following both types of intensive rehabilitation training. However, a clear reduction of dysarthria severity was observed only after the NMES training.

NMES could allow for improved articulator expression and vocal parameters, thus enhancing communication skills, when conventional articulation treatments are not possible or are ineffective.