Effects of a Naming- and a Discourse-related Therapy Approach in Chronic Aphasia A Single Case with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Since the introduction of the international classification of functioning, disability and health, there has been a controversy as to whether more traditional or participation-oriented therapy approaches should be used in the treatment of aphasia patients. In this pilot study, we investigated the effects of a naming treatment and a newly developed discourse-treatment on connected speech in daily life. During both treatments, transcranial direct current stimulation was administered. Although this adjuvant therapy is still under evaluation, it is thought to facilitate therapy outcome. After both treatment approaches, the participant showed significant changes in his spontaneous speech. While lexical parameters of connected speech showed significant changes after naming therapy, the discourse training let to numerical changes in syntactic parameters. In the present single case both approaches demonstrated their efficacy.