《Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice》 ›› 2018, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (1): 84-89.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2018.01.016

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Advance in Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Aphasic Rehabilitation (review)

ZHU Su-qiong, GU Jie-xin   

  1. School of Linguistic Sciences and Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221009, China
  • Received:2017-10-30 Revised:2017-12-27 Published:2018-01-25 Online:2018-01-31
  • Contact: GU Jie-xin.E-mail:jiexin.gu@hotmail.com
  • Supported by:
    National Social Science Fund of China (No. 12CYY021), National Social Science Fund of China (Major) (No. 10&ZD126) and Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions & Research Bases of Philosophy and Social Sciences of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (Major) (No. 2012JDXM016)

Abstract: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was applied in rehabilitation of aphasia effectively. Based on the three hypotheses on aphasic rehabilitation, it is needed to consider the stage, location and the extent of brain damage in the left hemisphere of aphasia patients. If the core language functional areas are not damaged, tDCS can be used to either activate the left hemisphere to enhance the activity of perilesional areas, or to inhibit the right hemisphere to weaken the inhibitory effect from the right one. In contrast, if the core language functional areas are damaged, tDCS should be used to activate the right hemisphere to compensate the left core language functional areas impaired. The integrity of white matter fiber tracts also affects the efficacy of tDCS. By exciting or inhibiting the cortex, tDCS can enhance the cerebral connectivity, and mediate its neural processing, to improve word-retrieval deficit, articulatory disturbance and discourse skill in daily living. The benefit from tDCS may be long-term and generalizated, which needs more researches.

Key words: aphasia, transcranial direct current stimulation, exciting, inhibiting, rehabilitation, review

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