The Word-linked Navigation Training Method Combined With TDCS Can Improve The Speech Function Of Patients With Aphasia After Stroke

Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects of WANT training with tDCS on patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia.Method:The sixteen patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia were randomized to receive either real anodal tDCS(8 patients)or to receive sham stimulation(8 patients)in our study.In real group,1 mA tDCS was administered to the left Broca’s area for 20 minutes at a time,twice a day,10 consecutive days.But the stimulation stopped after 30 seconds in sham group.All patients received WANT training during the stimulations.The Western Aphasia Battery(WAB),the trained pictures naming test and the untrained pictures naming test were evaluated before and after the treatment.Results:In both real and sham tDCS groups,the scores of WAB-AQ and two pictures naming tests after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment(P<0.05).After treatment,the scores of trained pictures naming test and verbal fluency in sub-items of WAB in real-tDCS group increased more significantly than those in sham group(P<0.01).In which the scores of untrained pictures naming test and WAB-AQ in real tDCS group were obviously higher(P<0.05)compared with sham tDCS group.Conclusion:WANT training combined with real tDCS stimulation can significantly improve the verbal fluency and naming abilities in patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia.Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects of WANT training with tDCS on patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia.Method:The sixteen patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia were randomized to receive either real anodal tDCS(8 patients)or to receive sham stimulation(8 patients)in our study.In real group,1 mA tDCS was administered to the left Broca’s area for 20 minutes at a time,twice a day,10 consecutive days.But the stimulation stopped after 30 seconds in sham group.All patients received WANT training during the stimulations.The Standard Language Test of Aphasia(SLTA)、the Mini-Communicative Activity Log(Mini-CAL)were evaluated before and after the treatment.Results:In real tDCS groups,all sub-items after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment(P<0.05),and in sham tDCS group,the scores of listening、sentence comprehension、reading in sub-items of SLTA and total points after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment(P<0.05).A comparison of the efficacy of the two groups indicated the scores of Mini-CAL in real-tDCS group increased more significantly than those in sham group(P<0.05).The scores of the noun understanding、words writing、addition in sub-items of SLTA in real tDCS group were obviously higher(P<0.05)compared with sham tDCS group.Conclusion:WANT training combined with real tDCS stimulation can significantly improve communication abilities in patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia.