Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine to what extent repetitive transcranial magnetic
stimulation (rTMS) combined with speech and language therapy improves functional
communication and basic linguistic skills of individuals with subacute aphasia.
DESIGN: Randomized, blinded, and sham-controlled study. SETTING: Neurologic
rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Participants
(N=30) with subacute aphasia
after stroke. INTERVENTIONS: During a 2-week treatment period, half of the
participants received 10 sessions of 20-minute inhibitory 1-Hz rTMS over the
right inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 45), and the other half received sham
stimulation. Directly thereafter, all the participants underwent 45 minutes of
speech and language therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Aachen Aphasia Test,
Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language Test (ANELT), a naming screening, and
subscales of the FIM, all assessed the day before and the day after treatment
period. RESULTS: The participants who received real rTMS significantly improved
with respect to all 10 measures of basic linguistic skills and functional
communication, whereas sham-treated participants significantly improved in only 6
of 10 measures (paired t tests, P<.05). There was a significant difference in the
gains made by the 2 groups on 5 of 10 measures including functional communication
(ANELT) (repeated-measures analysis of variance, P</=.05). CONCLUSIONS: For the
first time, this study has demonstrated that basic linguistic skills as well as
functional communication are bolstered by combining rTMS and behavioral language
therapy in patients with subacute aphasia.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS