Tuesday, February 12, 2008

tDCS and aphasia after stroke

One of the most common effects of a stroke is aphasia or the loss of the ability to comprehend and/or produce language. This accounts for much of the morbidity related to strokes.
In a study published by a group in Italy there is some convincing evidence that using tDCS can improve a naming task by 33% +/- 13%. This means that patients could demonstrate twenty to almost fifty percent improvement in naming. When you translate this into real-world recovery from stroke, the results are impressive.
As a tool for rehabilitation, and I am a physiatrist by trade (a rehabilitation doctor that directs the rehab of patients with diagnoses that include stroke), the clinical implications are significant.
PubMed Link

Lack of new posts....

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, with the holidays and the fact I am currently looking for a job my postings have suffered.