Effects of Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Lexical Access in Chronic Poststroke Aphasia. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pestalozzi, Maria I.; Di Pietro, Marie; Martins Gaytanidis, Chrisovalandou; Spierer, Lucas; Schnider, Armin; Chouiter, Leila; Colombo, Françoise; Annoni, Jean-Marie; Jost, Lea B.
• Is Part Of: Neurorehabilitation & neural repair. Volume 32:Number 10(2018)
• Page Start: 913
• Page End: 923
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: aphasia -- tDCS -- DLPFC -- verbal fluency -- executive functions -- lexical access; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Brain damage -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Spinal cord -- Wounds and injuries -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Regeneration -- Periodicals; Neuroplasticity -- Periodicals; 616.804305
• DOI: 10.1177/1545968318801551
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-9683

Abstract

Background . A successful interplay between prefrontal and domain-specific language areas is critical for language processing. Previous studies involving people with aphasia have shown that executive control processes might act on lexical-semantic representations during retrieval. Modulating the prefrontal control network by means of noninvasive brain stimulation might, therefore, improve lexical access in people with aphasia. Objective . The present study investigates the effects of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on lexical access in chronic poststroke aphasia. Methods . We report data of 14 participants with chronic poststroke aphasia. We used a sham-tDCS (S-tDCS) controlled and double-blind within-subjects design. Performances in picture naming, verbal fluency, and word repetition were assessed immediately after stimulation. Results . As compared with S-tDCS, anodal tDCS (A-tDCS) improved verbal fluency as well as the speed of naming high frequency words, but not word repetition. Conclusion . The results of our study suggest that the brain network dedicated to lexical retrieval processing can be facilitated by A-tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This finding supports the notion that strengthening executive control functions after stroke could complement speech and language-focused therapy.