Neural recruitment associated with anomia treatment in aphasia

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the spatial distribution of cortical activity associated with anomia treatment in three persons with aphasia. Participants underwent three fMRI sessions before and after a period of intensive language treatment focused on object naming. The results revealed bilateral hemispheric recruitment associated with improved ability to name items targeted in treatment. This is the first study to employ multiple pre- and post-treatment fMRI sessions in the study of treatment-induced recovery from aphasia and has implications for future studies of brain plasticity in stroke.     

口腔操对脑卒中引起失语患者的效果研究

目的 探讨口腔操在脑卒中失语患者语言功能恢复中的作用.方法 选取2009年1-7月在我院入住的脑卒中引起早期失语患者60例,随机分为实验组及对照组各30例,实验组在常规治疗和护理的基础上采用口腔操进行语言康复训练,对照组仅进行常规治疗和护理.比较两组患者语言恢复情况和焦虑情况.结果 实验组患者的语言功能恢复情况与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);实验组患者的焦虑症状改善情况与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 应用口腔操进行语言康复训练有利于早期脑卒中失语患者的语言交流功能的恢复,对改善患者的心理状态和焦虑情绪有积极的推动作用,有助于患者的全面康复.     

Functional re-recruitment of dysfunctional brain areas predicts language recovery in chronic aphasia

Functional recovery in response to a brain lesion, such as a stroke, can even occur years after the incident and may be accelerated by effective rehabilitation strategies. In eleven chronic aphasia patients, we administered a short-term intensive language training to improve language functions and to induce cortical reorganization under rigorously controlled conditions. Overt naming performance was assessed during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) prior to and immediately after the language training. Regions of interest (ROIs) for statistical analyses were constituted by areas with individually determined abnormally high densities of slow wave generators (identified by magnetoencephalography prior to the language intervention) that clustered mainly in left perilesional areas. Three additional individually defined regions served to control for the specificity of the results for the selected respective target region: the homologue area of the individual patient's lesion, the mirror image of the delta ROI in the right hemisphere and left hemispheric regions that did not produce a significant amount of slow wave activity. Treatment-induced changes of fMRI brain activation were highly correlated with improved naming of the trained pictures, but selectively within the pre-training dysfunctional perilesional brain areas. Our results suggest that remodeling of cortical functions is possible even years after a stroke. The behavioral gain seems to be mediated by brain regions that had been partially deprived from input after the initial stroke. We therefore provide first time direct evidence for the importance of treatment-induced functional reintegration of perilesional areas in a heterogeneous sample of chronic aphasia patients.     

脑卒中后运动性失语的功能磁共振成像研究

目的：探讨脑卒中后运动性失语症患者的语言功能恢复机制。方法：应用3T MR扫描仪对6例脑卒中患者失语后及康复后分别进行两次图片命名任务的BOLD fMRI扫描。实验采用组块设计方案,利用SPM5软件的总体线性模型（General linear model, GLM）进行后处理产生激活脑区图像。并对所有患者在发病后与康复后的脑内激活分布、大小、强度进行分析与比较。结果：所有患者在失语后左侧大脑半球语言相关脑区激活部分出现激活,其中3例右侧Broca’s镜像区出现激活。而在康复后所有患者的左侧大脑半球语言相关脑区激活增多,激活强度增加,其中左侧Broca’s区均出现激活,右侧Broca’s镜像区激活减弱。结论：失语后优势半球丧失功能的语言区移至对侧镜像区和优势半球未受累语言区的功能重组这两种机制都参与了语言功能恢复的过程,近期以右侧半球为主,远期左侧半球发挥更重要作用。     

强制诱导性语言对亚急性期脑卒中失语症患者语言功能的疗效

目的探讨强制诱导性语言治疗(CILT)对脑卒中后亚急性期失语症患者语言功能和日常生活交流能力的临床效果。方法脑卒中后亚急性期失语症患者59 例分为对照组(n=29)和观察组(n=30),分别接受CILT和常规语言康复。于治疗前、治疗10 d和3 个月后,采用汉语标准失语症检查法(CRRCAE)和日常生活交流能力评定(CADL)进行评测。结果观察组治疗后10 d 和3 个月后,在听理解、复述、命名、出声读、阅读理解和CADL方面均优于对照组(P<0.05)。结论CILT可促进脑卒中后亚急性期失语症患者的语言功能和日常生活交流能力恢复。     

汉语失语症心理语言评价在探查听理解障碍的语言加工受损水平中的应用:1例报告

目的:应用汉语失语症心理语言评价(PACA)是否可以明确脑卒中后听理解障碍产生于听觉言语输入加工的某个水平,通过复测是否可预测听理解能力恢复的可能。方法:对1例听理解严重损害伴杂乱语,左颞顶叶、右颞叶脑梗死患者发病后2周和5周分别进行汉语失语症心理语言评价相关检查。结果:患者发病2周后的听觉词-图匹配正确率17.5%,视觉词-图匹配正确率90.0%,看图-书写正确率67.5%,看图命名正确率47.5%,词复述2.5%。听理解与阅读理解测验结果存在明显差异(P0.01),提示语义保留较好,而听觉语音映射到语义表征之前的加工受损。因此对听觉输入的语音分析进行了进一步检查,包括环境声音识别、语音识别、最小差异听字-指图均受损,语音识别、最小差异听字-指图受损更为严重。诊断感觉性失语症。第2次语言评价结果显示:视觉词-图匹配完全恢复正常,看图书写改善,听觉词-图匹配略有改善,词复述、环境声音识别、语音识别、最小差异听字指图未见改变。结果提示语音听感知受损,导致后续的听觉词汇加工不能进行,而语义系统正常。复测结果显示语音加工无改变,提示听理解预后较差,而影响听理解恢复的是语音识别。结论:汉语失语症心理语言评价可以较好地揭示听理解损害的加工水平,通过复测可提供语言功能预后,并使失语症的语言治疗更有针对性。     

Pharmacological, surgical, and neurovascular interventions to augment acute aphasia recovery

Aphasia recovery has often been attributed to a combination of "spontaneous recovery" and rehabilitation. However, a variety of new pharmacological, surgical, and interventional neuroradiology procedures have been developed that can complement rehabilitation in the first days to weeks after stroke by restoring blood flow to dysfunctional but salvageable brain tissue. This paper will review the medical and surgical interventions to improve regional cerebral blood flow that recently have been shown to (1) augment aphasia recovery by improving tissue function, and (2) prevent expansion of the stroke that would otherwise impede recovery. Success with such treatments facilitates aphasia rehabilitation by improving the baseline language performance that must be improved further with language therapy.     

康复训练与个性化护理干预对脑卒中失语患者康复的影响

【目的】观察个性化护理干预对脑卒中失语患者康复的影响。【方法】选择36例脑卒中失语患者,全部经头CT或MRI确诊是脑卒中失语,根据波士顿失语诊断测验（BDEA）评估表对患者语言功能进行评分并判断其失语类型,根据不同类型失语给予相应的康复训练与个性化的护理干预。于发病后1周进行第1次评估,以后每月随访1次,共4次,然后3个月再随访1次。经过（180±7）d康复训练后再次根据BDEA评估表对36例患者语言功能进行评分。【结果]36例患者全部完成康复训练后BDEA检测评分较康复训练前明显提高（P〈0．05）。【结论】康复训练与个性化的护理干预能有效改善脑卒中失语患者的语言功能,促进其康复。     

Sustained prefrontal activation during ataxic gait: a compensatory mechanism for ataxic stroke?

There is accumulated evidence that cortical reorganization plays an important role in motor recovery after supratentorial stroke. However neural mechanisms underlying functional recovery of ataxia after infratentorial stroke remain unclear. We investigated cortical activations during ataxic gait in patients with infratentorial stroke to test the hypothesis that cerebral cortices were involved in compensatory mechanisms for ataxic gait. Twelve patients with infratentorial stroke (mean duration+/-S.D. from the onset: 88.3+/-44.8 days) and 11 age-matched healthy subjects participated in this study. All patients had predominant ataxia without severe hemiparesis. We measured cortical activation as assessed by task-related increase of oxygenated hemoglobin during gait on a treadmill using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Task consisted of three repetitions of gait period alternated with rest period. In controls, cortical activations in the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex during the acceleration phase tended to be attenuated during the steady phase of the gait period while these activations were sustained throughout the gait period in ataxic patients. Repeated measures ANOVA for cortical activation revealed significant interactions (p<0.005) between phase (acceleration/steady) and group (control/stroke) in the medial and lateral prefrontal regions. These results suggest that sustained prefrontal activation during ataxic gait might be relevant to compensatory mechanisms for ataxic gait after infratentorial stroke.     

皮层性失语症的康复治疗研究

目的研究皮层性失语症的神经语言学特点、发病机制及康复计划的制定。方法20例失语症患者,发病2周时行神经语言学检查和波士顿诊断性失语检查法(BDAE)评定,并进行规范、系统的语言康复治疗。经过2个月的康复治疗,进行第2次BDAE评定。结果BDAE级别上升两个级别者11例,上升1个级别者8例,无改善1例,经t检验P<0.1(0.0706)。结论早期语言训练能有效地促进语言功能的恢复,减少并发症发生,改善言语交流能力。     

Recovery of cohesion in narrative discourse after left-hemisphere stroke

Little is known about the recovery of narrative discourse after stroke. While several studies have analyzed the recovery of language in individuals with aphasia, few known studies exist on the recovery of narrative discourse in stroke survivors, particularly those who have not been diagnosed with aphasia. In this study, we evaluated the cohesiveness of narrative discourse in a cohort of individuals who had suffered a left-hemisphere stroke and had not been diagnosed with expressive language impairment. We analyzed their narrative discourse at 1, 6, and 12 months poststroke. Our findings indicate that, while the mean number of cohesive ties in narrative discourse remained generally constant during the first year poststroke, the percentage correct use of cohesive ties increased significantly during the same time period. These findings suggest that subtle disruptions in expressive language can be present initially in narrative discourse, and recovery from these disruptions can occur naturally over time.     

经颅直流电刺激对脑卒中后运动性失语疗效及对抑郁状态的影响

目的:探讨经颅直流电刺激(tDCS)治疗脑卒中后运动性失语疗效及对抑郁状态的影响.方法:将96例脑卒中后运动性失语患者随机分为观察组和对照组各48例,对照组给予神经内科的常规治疗并给予失语症刺激疗法(Schuell刺激法),观察组在此基础上给予tDCS,共治疗6周.治疗前后用语言功能评分(包括言语表达、听理解力、阅读能...     

运动想象训练促进脑卒中患者上肢运动功能恢复的功能磁共振研究

摘要 目的：利用功能磁共振（fMRI）研究脑卒中患者运动想象训练后上肢功能重组潜在的脑重塑机制,为临床脑卒中患者的康复治疗提供一定的理论基础。 方法：选择9例脑卒中偏瘫患者,进行运动想象训练每周5次,每次约30min,共4周,并进行常规康复训练。应用Fugl-Meyer上肢运动功能量表（FMA-UL）分别在治疗前和治疗后4周评估患者的上肢运动功能。在4周康复干预前后对患者进行患手被动握拳任务下的fMRI检查,采用组块设计,利用SPM8软件进行数据处理,采用感兴趣区（ROI）的个体化分析,统计各ROI区的脑皮质激活情况,比较干预前后对侧感觉运动区（cSMC）的激活变化,分析脑卒中患者的脑重塑模式。 结果：4周运动想象干预后脑卒中患者的FM-UL评分从（22.44±11.59）分提高到（39.78±14.03）分（P=0.011）。比较干预前后两次fMRI检查脑皮质SMC区的激活情况,发现9例脑卒中患者的功能恢复呈现出两种不同的皮质重塑模式：一种模式为募集激活,即大部分患者第二次fMRI检查,患手被动任务下cSMC的激活增加（有6例患者）;另一种模式是集中激活,即小部分患者第二次fMRI检查,患手被动任务下cSMC的激活虽然是减少的,但其偏侧指数（LI-SMC）却是显著增加的（有3例患者）。 结论：运动想象训练可改善脑卒中患者的上肢运动功能,经过4周干预后脑卒中患者存在损伤同侧SMC区的募集激活和集中激活两种脑重塑模式,随着患者上肢功能的恢复,脑重塑机制逐渐倾向于损伤侧SMC的激活。     

早期语言康复护理联合手部训练法对脑卒中失语症患者语言功能的干预效果

目的:探讨早期语言康复护理联合手部训练法对脑卒中失语症患者语言运动的干预效果。方法:选取2018年1月至2019年12月在阜阳市第二人民医院神经内科住院治疗的110例脑卒中失语症患者为研究对象,按简单随机分组法分为对照组与联合组,每组55例。对照组给予早期语言康复常规护理,联合组在对照组基础上联合手部训练法,均持续干预4周。采用《汉语失语症检查表》、波士顿失语诊断测验(Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination,BDAE)评估两组语言功能的康复效果并采用中文版脑卒中失语症生活质量量表(Stroke Aphasia Quality of Life Scale,SAQOL-39g)评估两组干预前后生活质量情况。结果:联合组干预4周后口语表达、听力理解和阅读能力评分及总分均高于干预前(P<0.05),也显著高于对照组4周后评分(P<0.05);联合组干预4周后康复总有效率94.55%,明显高于对照组81.82%(P<0.05);联合组干预4周后SAQOL-39g各项评分及总分均明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:早期语言康复护理联合手部训练法能有效促进脑卒中失语症患者语言功能恢复,提高语言康复总有效率和改善生活质量。     

Temporal dynamics of linguistic processes are reorganized in aphasics' cortex: an EEG mapping study

Brain lesions are known to elicit reorganization of function in representational cortex. Using linguistic function as an example, we show that (a) injury-related reorganization may also be observed in language-related cortex and (b) this reorganization not only appears in cortical space but also in the dynamic flow of activity. The present study investigated cortical reorganization in a group of 10 nonfluent aphasics who demonstrated partial recovery of linguistic functions. Compared with controls, linguistic functions were organized in an atypical manner, both in terms of spatial structures involved and in the time course of the linguistic processes, from word reading to late stages of word encoding in working memory. For this purpose, event-related potentials were recorded in a two-stimulus design comprising phonological and semantic tasks. Subjects were asked to judge whether two words, separated by a 2-s interval, rhymed (phonological task) or were semantically associated. During word reading of the phonological task, controls showed negativity/activation over occipital sites, whereas patients displayed negativity at left-medial orbitofrontal locations anterior to the common sites of lesion. During the subsequent 2-s interval associated with word encoding, the two groups showed a reversed pattern: significant left-right anterior asymmetry prevailed in controls, whereas lateralization was absent in patients. Aphasics displayed maximum positivity/inhibition over the left frontal regions, at the typical site of lesion. Compared with controls, patients exhibited significant disinhibition (decreased positivity) of right frontal areas and greater activation of left temporal sites. These results suggest that the concept of language plasticity should include, in addition to spatial aspects of linguistic reorganization, the reorganized temporal dynamics associated with recovery of impaired functions.     

Post-stroke aphasia prognosis: a review of patient-related and stroke-related factors

Rationale, aims and objectives Recovery of language function in individuals with post‐stroke aphasia is associated with a variety of patient and stroke‐related indices. Amidst a complex interaction of a multitude of variables, clinicians are faced with the arduous challenge of predicting aphasia recovery patterns and subsequently, long‐term outcomes in these individuals. Unfortunately, predictive factors are highly variable making prognosis of aphasia recovery difficult. Therefore, the objective of this review was to assess the influence of patient‐related and stroke‐related factors on language recovery in individuals with post‐stroke aphasia. Methods We completed a literature review to assess and identify evidence‐based patient and stroke‐related variables shown to be influential in aphasia recovery. Results A range of patient‐related (gender, handedness, age, education, socio‐economic status and intelligence) and stroke‐related indices (initial severity, lesion site and lesion size) were identified as potential influential factors to post‐stroke aphasia recovery. Initial severity of aphasia emerged as the factor most predictive of long‐term aphasia recovery. Other influential factors of post‐stroke language recovery included lesion site and size. Conclusions Stroke‐related factors, including aphasia severity, lesion site and lesion size, appear most critical to post‐stroke aphasia recovery. The findings presented in this review offer clinicians an evidenced‐based framework to assist in prediction of post‐stroke aphasia recovery patterns and subsequent long‐term functional communication outcomes.     

Language plasticity in aphasics after recovery: evidence from slow evoked potentials

With the present experiment we sought to investigate brain plasticity underlying language recovery in a group of seventeen patients with non-fluent aphasia mainly caused by stroke. Patients were screened along three domains of measures: analysis of linguistic components by the Aachener Aphasie Test, combined mapping of their lesion from CT/MRI scans, and functional measure of the reorganized linguistic processes by means of mapping of slow evoked potentials. The spatial dimension and temporal dynamics of word processing were measured in three tasks, Phonological, Semantic and Orthographic. Compared with the matched control group, patients showed relative inhibition (decreased negativity) of left central regions in perisylvian areas, which were damaged in most subjects. In addition, reorganization of linguistic functions occurred within the left hemisphere both at frontal and posterior sites corresponding to spared brain regions. Correlations between linguistic lateralization in the three tasks and AAT subtests point to functional reorganization of phonological processes over left frontal sites and dysfunctional reorganization of semantic processing over left posterior regions.     

应用在线经颅直流电刺激探查外侧裂后部对失语症恢复的作用

目的:采用汉语失语症心理语言评价(PACA)及在线经颅直流电刺激(tDCS),探查两半球外侧裂后部周围区(PPR)是否可以促进失语症语言功能的改善,以及语言功能恢复的可能机制。方法:利用PACA对7例脑卒中后恢复期失语症患者(基底核区损伤4例,皮质损伤3例)进行语言评价,同时实施在线tDCS。在无刺激、左PPR区和右PPR区阳极刺激三种试验条件下进行失语症评价。语言评价任务为听觉词-图匹配、图命名。结结果论::阳对极恢刺复激期左失P语PR症区患时者,采图用命名tD成CS绩阳显极著刺改激善左(PP相似文献   

Transcranial Doppler monitoring during language tasks in stroke patients with aphasia

Purpose. To investigate the pattern of hemispheric activation, according to cerebral blood flow changes, as measured by Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography (TCD) during language tasks in stroke patients with aphasia.

Method. Prospective study investigating results of TCD monitoring during language naming and recognition tasks in ischemic stroke patients (n = 32) with and without aphasia and 5 control subjects.

Results. Delta mean flow velocity (MFV) in the left Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) was found to be much lower in aphasia patients as compared to healthy subjects. Negative statistical correlation was found between the improvement of language ability and the blood flow velocity parameters in the left hemisphere. Aphasia patients with good language ability showed much higher MFV in the right MCA during the first test. Left hemispheric blood flow velocity shift was found to be higher during speech tasks in the patients with poor language ability.

Conclusions. Our study suggests that the performance of language tasks in aphasia patients during early recovery after stroke is associated with relatively high right hemisphere activation. High blood flow velocity in the right MCA of aphasia patients was found to be a good prognostic sign for better language ability. Arterial blood flow that shifted towards the left hemisphere during speech tasks was associated with poor language ability.     

Two different reorganization patterns after rehabilitative therapy: an exploratory study with fMRI and TMS

We used two complementary methods to investigate cortical reorganization in chronic stroke patients during treatment with a defined motor rehabilitation program. BOLD ("blood oxygenation level dependent") sensitive functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation (ICF) measured with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) via paired pulse stimulation were used to investigate cortical reorganization before and after "constraint-induced movement therapy" (CI). The motor hand function improved in all subjects after CI. BOLD signal intensity changes within affected primary sensorimotor cortex (SMC) before and after CI showed a close correlation with ICI (r = 0.93) and ICF (r = 0.76) difference before and after therapy. Difference in number of voxels and ICI difference before and after CI also showed a close correlation (r = 0.92) in the affected SMC over the time period of training. A single subject analysis revealed that patients with intact hand area of M1 ("the hand knob") and its descending motor fibers (these patients revealed normal motor evoked potentials [MEP] from the affected hand) showed decreasing ipsilesional SMC activation which was paralleled by an increase in intracortical excitability. This pattern putatively reflects increasing synaptic efficiency. When M1 or its descending pyramidal tract was lesioned (MEP from the affected hand was pathologic) ipsilesional SMC activation increased, accompanied by decreased intracortical excitability. We suggest that an increase in synaptic efficiency is not possible here, which leads to reorganization with extension, shift and recruitment of additional cortical areas of the sensorimotor network. The inverse dynamic process between both complementary methods (activation in fMRI and intracortical excitability determined by TMS) over the time period of CI illustrates the value of combining methods for understanding brain reorganization.