Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Improved naming after transcranial direct current stimulation in aphasia.

Monti A, Cogiamanian F, Marceglia S, Ferrucci R, Mameli F, Mrakic-Sposta S, Vergari M, Zago S, Priori A

Neurostimulation Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milan, Italy.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as an adjuvant technique to improve functional recovery after ischaemic stroke. This study evaluated the effect of tDCS over the left frontotemporal areas in eight chronic non-fluent post-stroke aphasic patients. The protocol consisted of the assessment of picture naming (accuracy and response time) before and immediately after anodal or cathodal tDCS (2 mA, 10 minutes) and sham stimulation. Whereas anodal tDCS and sham tDCS failed to induce any changes, cathodal tDCS significantly improved the accuracy of the picture naming task by a mean of 33.6% (SEM 13.8%).

Published 17 March 2008 in J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 79(4): 451-3.
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