The purpose of this study is to test the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex of the language dominant hemisphere on language learning in healthy subjects and stroke patients with aphasia. We hypothesize that anodal stimulation enhances the learning of action words compared to sham and cathodal stimulation.
The motor cortex is involved at different levels of language processing. It has been demonstrated that the perception of action words activates motor representations in the language-dominant hemisphere. However, it is not known whether modulation of excitability has an effect on learning new action words. Thus, we hypothesize that transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex of the language-dominant hemiphere modulates the acquisition of new action words. The results bear the potential to design new rehabilitative strategies in stroke patients with aphasia. The motor cortex might offer an access to the language network that can be used for interventional approaches such as neurostimulation.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
70
1 mV for 20 min (verum conditions: anodal and cathodal)or 30 seconds (placebo condition: sham) during language learning , active electrode over primary motor cortex of language dominant hemisphere, reference electrode over contralateral supraorbital area
University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Neurology
Hamburg, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany
word learning
learning of new action words measured as learned words/all words in %
Time frame: immediately after intervention and after 1 week
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.