title: Theta burst stimulation over the right Broca's homologue induces improvement of naming in aphasic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Improvements of language production in aphasic patients have been reported following repeated 1-Hz transcranial magnetic stimulation over the nondamaged right hemisphere. Most studies examined aphasic patients in the chronic phase. The effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation application in acute or subacute patients has not been systematically studied. We aimed to evaluate whether continuous theta burst stimulation, an inhibitory protocol with a shorter application time than the common 1-Hz protocol, is able to improve naming performance in aphasic patients in different poststroke phases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen right-handed aphasic patients performed a picture naming task and a language independent alertness test before and after the application of theta burst stimulation over the intact right Broca's homologue localized by the 10-20 electroencephalogram system in a randomized, sham-controlled, crossover trial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that naming performance was significantly better, and naming latency was significantly shorter, after theta burst stimulation than after the sham intervention. Patients who responded best were in the subacute phase after stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This setting with the short theta burst stimulation application time and the simple stimulation localization procedure is suitable for clinical purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Psychiatry, and University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kindler
authors.forename: Rahel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cazzoli
authors.forename: Klemens
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gutbrod
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyffeler
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dierks
authors.forename: René M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Müri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000849:Anomia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013826:Theta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*