Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with speech and language therapy in post ischemic stroke aphasia: A systematic review
Background: Ischemic stroke is a prevalent neurological condition that frequently leads to aphasia, significantly affecting survivors’ communication ability and quality of life. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has gained attention as a pote...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Brain Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666459325000885 |
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| Summary: | Background: Ischemic stroke is a prevalent neurological condition that frequently leads to aphasia, significantly affecting survivors’ communication ability and quality of life. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has gained attention as a potential adjunct therapy. This systematic review evaluates the effect of tDCS in conjunction with speech and language therapy (SLT) in post-ischemic stroke aphasia recovery. Method: This study was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Data were sourced from the PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Study quality was evaluated using the Jadad Score, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the RoB-2 tool. A narrative synthesis was conducted to summarize the findings. Result: Four RCTs involving 130 participants were included. Notable enhancements in discourse content and efficiency were observed in the syllable/communication unit and Western Aphasia Battery scores. Benefits in specific domains like naming, comprehension, and repetition, as measured by the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, were modest and more pronounced during early rehabilitation stages. Subsequently, some studies reported significant short-term follow-up improvements in naming accuracy and time, and others found no statistically significant differences between experimental and control groups. Conclusion: tDCS, in conjunction with SLT, demonstrates potential enhancement in language recovery on post-ischemic stroke aphasia. It may improve speech content, naming accuracy, and communication efficiency and is particularly safe and cost-effective. However, inconsistencies in outcomes and short-term follow-up effects highlight the need for further research to optimize and standardize treatment protocols. |
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| ISSN: | 2666-4593 |