SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Neurorehabilitation
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1600065
Effect of three rehabilitation methods combined with transcranial electromagnetic stimulation on post-stroke aphasia: A RCT network meta-analysis
Provisionally accepted
- Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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Background: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, particularly in China, where it affects younger populations. Aphasia, a common post-stroke disorder, impairs language skills and occurs in 30-40% of stroke patients. Neuromodulation techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have shown promise in aphasia rehabilitation. Combining these methods with traditional treatments may improve recovery and shorten rehabilitation time. This study examines the effectiveness of these combined therapies in post-stroke aphasia to inform clinical practice. Methods: Six databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, were systematically searched, and 14 randomized controlled trials with 376 stroke patients were finally included. The outcome indicators were aphasia and quality of life related indicators. Net meta-analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 to assess the relative effectiveness of each combined intervention and to test the consistency of direct and indirect evidence. Results: For the primary outcome metrics, SLT was most effective in improving Naming (SMD = 1.05, 95% CI [0.45, 1.65], p < 0.001, I² = 57%), CSLT was most effective in improving Comprehension in stroke patients (SMD = 1.23, 95% CI [0.57, 1.89], p < 0.001, and I² = 46%) and better in improving Repetition (SMD = 1.22, 95% CI [0.03, 2.40], p < 0.05, I² = 86%) in stroke patients. Conclusion: SLT and CSLT can effectively improve aphasia in stroke patients. It is recommended to prioritize their application in clinical rehabilitation.
Keywords: Aphasia, Stroke, neurological rehabilitation, Combined rehabilitation approach, Cervical Cranial Electrical Stimulation
Received: 26 Mar 2025; Accepted: 05 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Xinyu, Haojie, Wu and Rui. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Xie Wu, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
Huang Rui, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.