Efficacy Analysis of Upper Limb Functional Electrical Stimulation Combined with rTMS on Speech Function in Aphasic Patients

Guo G, Zhai J, Chen W, Wang Y and Lu H*

Rehabilitation Center of Nantong First People’s Hospital, China

^*Correspondance to: Hongjian Lu 

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Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of combining upper limb functional electrical stimulation with repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on the speech function of patients with aphasia. Methods: Research participants comprised 96 stroke patients undergoing training at the Rehabilitation Center of Nantong First People’s Hospital, China, from May 2021 to July 2023. The 96 patients were randomly divided into three groups, with each group consisting of 32 patients. All three groups received conventional speech rehabilitation training, with the rTMS group receiving additional rTMS treatment, the functional electrical stimulation group receiving additional upper limb functional electrical stimulation treatment, and the combined group receiving both rTMS and upper limb functional electrical stimulation treatments. All treatments lasted for four weeks. Results: After treatment, the combined group exhibited superior hand function grades compared to the functional electrical stimulation and rTMS groups, showing statistical significance (P<0.05). Additionally, scores for spontaneous speech, auditory comprehension, repetition, naming, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) were higher in the combined group than in the other two groups, demonstrating statistical differences (P<0.05). Conclusion: Combining upper limb functional electrical stimulation with rTMS can effectively restore speech function in aphasic patients, enhances cognitive function and daily life abilities, and plays a crucial role in promoting patient prognosis recovery. This combined approach is worthy of widespread application.

Keywords:

Aphasia; Upper Limb Functional Electrical Stimulation; Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Daily Life Abilities; Cognitive Function

Cite the Article:

Guo G, Zhai J, Chen W, Wang Y, Lu H. Efficacy Analysis of Upper Limb Functional Electrical Stimulation Combined with rTMS on Speech Function in Aphasic Patients. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2024; 9: 2565.