Repository logo
 

Hemispheric contributions to language reorganisation: An MEG study of neuroplasticity in chronic post stroke aphasia.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Mohr, Bettina 
MacGregor, Lucy J 
Difrancesco, Stephanie 
Harrington, Karen 
Pulvermüller, Friedemann 

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that efficient neurorehabilitation in post stroke aphasia leads to clinical language improvements and promotes neuroplasticity. Brain areas frequently implicated in functional restitution of language after stroke comprise perilesional sites in the left hemisphere and homotopic regions in the right hemisphere. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying therapy-induced language restitution are still largely unclear. In this study, magnetoencephalography was used to investigate neurophysiological changes in a group of chronic aphasia patients who underwent intensive language action therapy (ILAT), also known as constraint-induced aphasia therapy (CIAT). Before and immediately after ILAT, patients' language and communication skills were assessed and their brain responses were recorded during a lexical magnetic mismatch negativity (MMNm) paradigm, presenting familiar spoken words and meaningless pseudowords. After the two-week therapy interval, patients showed significant clinical improvements of language and communication skills. Spatio-temporal dynamics of neuronal changes revealed a significant increase in word-specific neuro-magnetic MMNm activation around 200ms after stimulus identification points. This enhanced brain response occurred specifically for words and was most pronounced over perilesional areas in the left hemisphere. Therapy-related changes in neuromagnetic activation for words in both hemispheres significantly correlated with performance on a clinical language test. The findings indicate that functional recovery of language in chronic post stroke aphasia is associated with neuroplastic changes in both cerebral hemispheres, with stronger left-hemispheric contribution during automatic stages of language processing.

Description

Keywords

Aphasia, Intensive language action therapy, Language, MEG, Mismatch negativity, Neuroplasticity, Adult, Aged, Aphasia, Brain, Brain Mapping, Chronic Disease, Female, Functional Laterality, Humans, Language, Language Therapy, Magnetoencephalography, Male, Middle Aged, Neuronal Plasticity, Recovery of Function, Speech, Speech Perception, Stroke, Stroke Rehabilitation, Treatment Outcome

Journal Title

Neuropsychologia

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0028-3932
1873-3514

Volume Title

93

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/K005464/1)