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Utilizing Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Language Function in Stroke Patients with Chronic Non-fluent Aphasia
Published on: July 2, 2013
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Language function improvement and cortical activity alteration using scalp acupuncture coupled with speech-language
Bingbing Lin1, Jinglei Ni1, Xiao Xiong1
1College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
|February 1, 2025
Summary
Scalp acupuncture significantly improved language function and cortical activity in post-stroke aphasia patients. This complementary therapy enhanced speech-language treatment outcomes for repetition and naming impairments.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Scalp acupuncture is a common complementary therapy for post-stroke aphasia.
- Its impact on cerebral cortical activity in these patients requires further evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effect of scalp acupuncture on the cerebral cortex of patients with post-stroke aphasia.
- To evaluate its efficacy as an adjuvant therapy for improving language function.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 64 post-stroke aphasia patients.
- Patients were assigned to either an acupuncture group or a control group.
- Primary outcome: Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) score. Secondary outcome: oxygenated haemoglobin (OxyHb) index via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
Main Results:
- The acupuncture group showed significant improvements in all WAB subscales (P < 0.001).
- Increased OxyHb indices were observed in specific left hemisphere areas (frontopolar, fusiform gyrus, pars opercularis) and the right superior temporal gyrus (P < 0.05).
- Different cortical activation patterns were noted in global versus non-global aphasia patients.
Conclusions:
- Scalp acupuncture enhances speech-language therapy for repetition and naming deficits in post-stroke aphasia.
- It modulates cortical activation in specific brain regions.
- Treatment effects vary between global and non-global aphasia types.
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