Clinical and cognitive predictors of swallowing recovery in stroke, pg. 301
We examined whether the location of brain damage, neurocognitive deficits, and/or the number of clinical features identified during a swallowing study affected stroke patients' swallowing outcomes. Identification of at least four of six clinical features (cough after swallow, voice change after swallow, abnormal volitional cough, abnormal gag reflex, dysphonia, and dysarthria) was associated with poor swallowing outcomes at admission and discharge from the hospital. In addition, specific neurocognitive deficits seemed to be related to swallowing outcomes; however, location of brain damage was not associated. More information about clinical indictors, neuroanatomical locations, and behavioral features will lead to earlier detection of swallowing disorders.
Does motor lateralization have implications for stroke rehabilitation? pg. 311
This article describes current findings on the usefulness of dominance retraining strategies in poststroke patients with dominant-arm hemiplegia. We found consistent differences in control strategies used by both the dominant and nondominant hemisphere/limb systems. However, the nondominant arm may not spontaneously become an efficient dominant manipulator, indicated by persistent deficits in chronic stroke patients. Because ipsilesional deficits are usually mild compared with contralesional, they are not normally addressed in rehabilitation. We propose that the previously nondominant limb impeded by motor deficits could benefit from remedial therapy to help switch to a dominant controller.
Treatability of different components of aphasia--Insights from a case study, pg. 323
We studied the effects of an intensive poststroke phonological rehabilitation program on speech/language production in a subject with alexia and aphasia. In a single-subject design context, we studied whether treatment improved phon
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Contact: Stacieanne Yuhasz
yuhasz@vard.org
410-962-1800 x240
VA Research Communications Service
30-Aug-2006