Improving Self-Awareness in Chronic Moderate-Severe Acquired Brain Injury: The Social Cognitive Communication Intervention Combined With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.
IF 2.5 3区 医学Q1 AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
Eva Pettemeridou, Kalia Lofitou, Ioulia Solomou, Marina Charalambous, Melanie Ioannou, Andria Lori, Savvas S Papacostas, Marios Pantzaris, Fofi Constantinidou
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of an integrated rehabilitation intervention combining the social cognitive-communication (SocCom) training with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for individuals with chronic moderate-severe acquired brain injury (MS-ABI), focusing on enhancing self-awareness and executive functions in an outpatient setting.
Method: Twenty-five individuals with MS-ABI (Mage = 39.64, SD = 14.78; Mdntimesinceinjury = 6.00 years). Participants were randomly assigned to either the combined intervention (n = 12) or the SocCom group (n = 13). The intervention was delivered over an 11-week period. A comprehensive neuropsychological and psychosocial assessment, along with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), were conducted pre and post intervention implementation to assess its impact on self-awareness, executive functions, and quality of life. Nonparametric tests were conducted to examine within- and between-group differences.
Results: Participants of both groups showed significant within-group improvements (p < .05) in memory, executive functions, semantic knowledge, and quality of life, demonstrating the interventions' broad impact. Furthermore, neurophysiological changes measured via the fNIRS indicated significant brain function alterations (p < .05) in the combined intervention group, suggesting a synergistic effect of SocCom and tDCS. Between-groups comparisons revealed superior improvements in the combined intervention group in tasks requiring visual memory, executive function, and processing speed, underscoring the added value of tDCS in cognitive rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with chronic MS-ABI.
Conclusion: The integrated SocCom and tDCS intervention offers a promising strategy for enhancing cognitive and psychosocial outcomes in individuals with chronic MS-ABI, suggesting a valuable addition to existing rehabilitation efforts and supporting a more personalized, holistic approach to recovery.
期刊介绍：
Mission: AJSLP publishes peer-reviewed research and other scholarly articles on all aspects of clinical practice in speech-language pathology. The journal is an international outlet for clinical research pertaining to screening, detection, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan as well as the etiologies and characteristics of these disorders. Because of its clinical orientation, the journal disseminates research findings applicable to diverse aspects of clinical practice in speech-language pathology. AJSLP seeks to advance evidence-based practice by disseminating the results of new studies as well as providing a forum for critical reviews and meta-analyses of previously published work.
Scope: The broad field of speech-language pathology, including aphasia; apraxia of speech and childhood apraxia of speech; aural rehabilitation; augmentative and alternative communication; cognitive impairment; craniofacial disorders; dysarthria; fluency disorders; language disorders in children; speech sound disorders; swallowing, dysphagia, and feeding disorders; and voice disorders.
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