Intensity of Aphasia Therapy: Evidence and Efficacy
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports
Cherney, L. R., Patterson, J. P., et al. (2011).
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 11(6), 560-569.
This systematic review investigates the effect of treatment intensity on language and communication outcomes in individuals with stroke-induced chronic and acute aphasia. This review is an update of Cherney and Patterson, et al. (2008). Please see Notes on This Article for the full citation information.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
<p>This systematic review was reviewed with the previous version:</p>
<ul>
<li>Cherney, L. R., Patterson, J. P., et al. (2008). Evidence-Based Systematic Review: Effects of Intensity of Treatment and Constraint-Induced Language Therapy for Individuals With Stroke-Induced Aphasia. J<i>ournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 51(</i>5), 1282-1299. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2008/07-0206)</li>
</ul>
2006-2011
Study design not specified
5
The updated review identified three new studies pertaining to intensity of aphasia treatment. In the previous review, results from one study favored more intensive treatment for measures of language impairment in individuals with acute aphasia. An additional study from this review reported equivocal results. However, the authors indicated that many of the participants did not receive the intensive amount of treatment suggesting that intensive treatment may not be feasible in the early stage of recovery. No studies examining activity/participation communication outcomes in individuals with acute aphasia were found.
In the previous review, results from five studies favored more intensive treatment over less intensive treatment for improving language impairment outcomes for individuals with chronic aphasia. In the current review, three additional studies provided mixed results. Findings remain mixed for communication outcomes at the level of activity/participation for individuals with chronic aphasia. Further methodologically sound research is warranted.
