Cognitive and neural plasticity in adults with acquired language and reading problems: A tablet-based training

Acquired language problems, called aphasia, are observed in 25% of the stroke patients. Language therapy can decrease the negative impact it has on the communication and psychosocial wellbeing, but only if the training is done intensively. In this research, we will apply tablet-based training since the interactive, adaptive and independent character allows to increase the intensity of training. To this end, we will recruit 60 patients with a left ischemic brain lesion. Participants will be randomly divided across a phonological training (grapheme-phoneme-coupling game), a semantic training (categorization game) or no training (to control for spontaneous recovery). Via pre- and post-training measures, encompassing both behaviour and neuroconnectivity via MRI, we aim to gain insight in the training-induced cognitive and neural changes. This can eventually inform us on whether interventions should focus on remediation or compensation.

Keywords:reading problems

Disciplines:Otorhinolaryngology, Speech, language and hearing sciences