Improvement in naming with tDCS and alteration of functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasia: a randomized controlled trial.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Rehabilitation, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing, China.
- 2Department of Chinese Medicine, Beijing Tongzhou District Majuqiao Community Health Service Center, Beijing, China.
- 3Department of Rehabilitation, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
- 4Department of Rehabilitation, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. [email protected].
- 5Department of Rehabilitation, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. [email protected].
- 6Department of Rehabilitation, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
This study aimed to investigate the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (A-tDCS) over the left Sylvian parietal temporal region (SPT) on picture naming and auditory comprehension, as well as changes in brain functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasic patients.Methods
This is a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled study. Sixty aphasic patients were randomly assigned to receive either active or sham tDCS over the SPT as well as speech-language therapy for four weeks. Standardized aphasia assessments and electroencephalogram (EEG) examinations were conducted before and after the treatment. The EEG nonlinear index of cross approximate entropy (C-ApEn) was used to assess brain functional connectivity.Results
The tDCS group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group in both picture naming and auditory word-picture identification scores (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that the group (tDCS/control) was the primary factor associated with improving picture naming. The functional connectivity of F3-P3, F7-P3, T3-T5, T5-P3, T5-C3, T4-T6, T3-T4, and T5-T6 significantly increased following tDCS.Conclusions
Anodal tDCS over the left SPT can improve picture naming and auditory comprehension in subacute post-stroke aphasia. Potential mechanisms include enhanced connectivity within the left-hemisphere dorsal/ventral streams, the executive control network, and between the bilateral temporal lobes. These functional connectivity changes provide neural evidence for the effect of tDCS on naming improvement. Clinical trial registry number ChiCTR-TRC-14005072.
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BibTeX
@article{zhao2026improvement,
title = {{Improvement in naming with tDCS and alteration of functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasia: a randomized controlled trial.}},
author = {Jiayi Zhao and Jin Guo and Yuanyuan Li and Xu Zhang and Ying Yuan and Yinan Cheng and Guoping Duan and Baohu Liu and Qiuyue Wang and Yingxia Ji and Qing Guo and Jie Wang and Xueli Chen and Dongyu Wu},
journal = {Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12984-026-02112-5},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958378},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Improvement in naming with tDCS and alteration of functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasia: a randomized controlled trial.
AU - Jiayi Zhao
AU - Jin Guo
AU - Yuanyuan Li
AU - Xu Zhang
AU - Ying Yuan
AU - Yinan Cheng
AU - Guoping Duan
AU - Baohu Liu
AU - Qiuyue Wang
AU - Yingxia Ji
AU - Qing Guo
AU - Jie Wang
AU - Xueli Chen
AU - Dongyu Wu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/03
JO - Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation
DO - 10.1186/s12984-026-02112-5
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958378
AB - Background This study aimed to investigate the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (A-tDCS) over the left Sylvian parietal temporal region (SPT) on picture naming and auditory comprehension, as well as changes in brain functional connectivity in post-stroke aphasic patients.Methods This is a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled study. Sixty aphasic patients were randomly assigned to receive either active or sham tDCS over the SPT as well as speech-language therapy for four weeks. Standardized aphasia assessments and electroencephalogram (EEG) examinations were conducted before and after the treatment. The EEG nonlinear index of cross approximate entropy (C-ApEn) was used to assess brain functional connectivity.Results The tDCS group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group in both picture naming and auditory word-picture identification scores (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that the group (tDCS/control) was the primary factor associated with improving picture naming. The functional connectivity of F3-P3, F7-P3, T3-T5, T5-P3, T5-C3, T4-T6, T3-T4, and T5-T6 significantly increased following tDCS.Conclusions Anodal tDCS over the left SPT can improve picture naming and auditory comprehension in subacute post-stroke aphasia. Potential mechanisms include enhanced connectivity within the left-hemisphere dorsal/ventral streams, the executive control network, and between the bilateral temporal lobes. These functional connectivity changes provide neural evidence for the effect of tDCS on naming improvement. Clinical trial registry number ChiCTR-TRC-14005072.
SN - 1743-0003
ER -