Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor Speech in Nonfluent Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Case Report.

IF 0.4 Q4 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Case Reports in Neurology Pub Date : 2025-12-08 eCollection Date: 2026-01-01 DOI:10.1159/000549960

Yoshihiro Ohashi, Satoko Koganemaru, Fumiko Oshima

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes a gradual decline in language function. While combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with rehabilitation of speech and language disorders (SLD rehab) has shown promise, its effect on motor speech disorders such as dysarthria and apraxia of speech (AOS), common in nonfluent variant PPA (nfvPPA), has been unclear.

Case presentation: This study used an N-of-1 crossover design to investigate the effects of SLD rehab-tDCS on articulation and vocalization in a 77-year-old male patient with nfvPPA, dysarthria, and AOS. In the intervention phase, intervention A (anodal tDCS over the left inferior frontal gyrus from the precentral regions, combined with SLD rehab) was compared with intervention B (sham stimulation with SLD rehab) across both short-term (single session) and long-term (12 sessions over 6 weeks) phases, with intervention A preceding B. In both the short- and long-term phases, the assessments of articulation and vocalization showed greater improvement following intervention A. The long-term intervention also led to improvements in general aphasia severity. Furthermore, brain perfusion SPECT imaging revealed increased blood flow in the left fronto-subcortical network.

Conclusions: These preliminary findings from a single case suggest that SLD rehab-tDCS may have the potential to improve not only language but also speech motor functions in nfvPPA.

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经颅直流电刺激对非流利原发性进行性失语症运动言语的影响：1例报告。

原发性进行性失语症（PPA）是一种导致语言功能逐渐下降的神经退行性疾病。虽然经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）与言语和语言障碍康复（SLD康复）相结合已显示出希望，但其对运动语言障碍（如非流利型PPA （nfvPPA）常见的发音障碍和言语失用（AOS））的影响尚不清楚。病例介绍：本研究采用N-of-1交叉设计，研究了SLD康复- tdcs对一位患有nfvPPA、构音障碍和AOS的77岁男性患者的发音和发声的影响。在干预阶段，在短期（单次）和长期（6周12次）阶段，将干预A（中央前区左侧额下回的淋巴结tDCS，结合SLD康复）与干预B（假性刺激加SLD康复）进行比较，干预A在短期和长期阶段都先于B。在干预a后，发音和发声的评估显示出更大的改善。长期干预也导致了一般失语症严重程度的改善。此外，脑灌注SPECT成像显示左侧额皮层下网络血流量增加。结论：这些来自单一病例的初步研究结果表明，SLD康复- tdcs可能不仅有可能改善nfvPPA的语言功能，还可能改善言语运动功能。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Case Reports in Neurology Medicine-Neurology (clinical)

CiteScore

1.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

14 weeks

期刊介绍： This new peer-reviewed online-only journal publishes original case reports covering the entire spectrum of neurology. Clinicians and researchers are given a tool to disseminate their personal experience to a wider public as well as to review interesting cases encountered by colleagues all over the world. To complement the contributions supplementary material is welcomed. The reports are searchable according to the key words supplied by the authors; it will thus be possible to search across the entire growing collection of case reports with universally used terms, further facilitating the retrieval of specific information. Following the open access principle, the entire contents can be retrieved at no charge, guaranteeing easy access to this valuable source of anecdotal information at all times.