Training in rapid auditory processing ameliorates auditory comprehension in aphasic patients: A randomized controlled pilot study

The Treatment Based on Temporal Information Processing Reduces Speech Comprehension Deficits in Aphasic Subjects

“…In line with this evidence, our previous studies confirmed in Wernicke’s patients disturbed temporal order perception measured with such monaural presentation mode (Szelag et al, 2014). It is worth mentioning that historically, Efron (1963), as well as Swisher and Hirsh (1972) emphasized that deficits in TIP in aphasia were not related selectively to the auditory processing, but concerned also the other modalities.…”

“…These deficits were reflected in elevated thresholds for identification of events presented in rapid succession and observed in significantly longer, as compared to the healthy controls, inter-stimulus interval (ISI) between two sounds, necessary to report correctly their temporal order (e.g., Swisher and Hirsh, 1972; Tallal and Piercy, 1973; Farmer and Klein, 1995; Tallal et al, 1998; von Steinbüchel et al, 1999; Wittmann et al, 2001, 2004; Fink et al, 2006; Szelag et al, 2014, 2015). In this study, we concentrated on such temporal deficits in post-stroke aphasic patients which were assessed with temporal order threshold (TOT), i.e., the shortest ISI at which subjects were able to report the order of two sounds correctly.…”

“…A pilot treatment based on the relationship between TIP and language was used for the first time in our laboratory in aphasic patients (Szelag et al, 2014). In this study, the patients were taught to recognize the order of paired clicks presented monaurally in rapid succession with decreasing ISI within consecutive pairs.…”

“…Due to the limited literature evidence with regard to amelioration of auditory comprehension following temporal training in aphasic patients (Szelag et al, 2014, 2015), as well as importance of this issue for modern neurorehabilitation, we extended our early pilot prototyping therapy procedure and developed the complementary training protocol, using the modified stimulus presentation mode. There is an important difference between our pilot prototyping procedure (Szelag et al, 2014) and the procedure presented here.…”

“…There is an important difference between our pilot prototyping procedure (Szelag et al, 2014) and the procedure presented here. It concerns the specificity of the stimulus presentation mode during intervention.…”