Therapeutic effect of music therapy and speech language therapy on post-stroke patients with non-fluent aphasia

Abstract

Objective Estimating the therapeutic effect of music therapy and speech language therapy on post-stroke patients with non-fluent aphasia. Methods Eighty-four post-stroke patients diagnosed with non-fluent aphasia who came from the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shihezi University were collected between June 2012 and May 2014, then they were randomly divided into music therapy group (n=42) and speech language therapy group (n=42; including chronic (n=46) and acute groups (n=38)) based on table of random numbers. On the basis of conventionally using neurological drugs, music therapy and speech language therapy were given to the patients for one month, respectively. And language function was assessed by partial items of Chinese Version-Western Aphasia Battery before and after therapy. Results No significant changes were found in spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition, naming and aphasia quotient in chronic and acute group patients through the music therapy and speech language therapy. Significant improvements were revealed in repetition (32.00(15.00, 53.75) vs 48.50(24.50, 72.00), Z=2.147, P=0.032; 33.00(14.50, 49.25) vs 48.50(18.50, 63.75), Z=2.018, P=0.038), naming (20.00 (8.50, 34.75) vs 37.5(12.50, 64.75), Z=2.298, P=0.022; 19.50(7.00, 31.25) vs 34.50(15.00, 52.75), Z=2.039, P=0.041)and aphasia quotient(24.50(10.50, 37.50) vs 43.00(18.00, 64.75), Z=2.432, P=0.015; 22.50(10.00, 34.50) vs 36.00(14.00, 54.00), Z=2.027, P=0.043)through music therapy and speech language therapy in chronic group patients. Comprehension was significantly improved through music therapy in chronic group patients. Repetition (24.50(11.00, 38.75) vs 46.50(24.50, 67.75), Z=2.038, P=0.043; 26.50(9.50, 36.25) vs 42.50(19.00, 64.25), Z=1.972, P=0.048) was significantly improved through music therapy and speech language therapy in acute group patients. And spontaneous speech (2.00(1.00, 3.75) vs 8.00(4.00, 12.75), Z=2.012, P=0.036), comprehension (51.00(17.50, 73.75) vs 85.00(48.00, 101.00), Z=2.298, P=0.022), naming (17.50(6.00, 29.00) vs 37.50(16.00, 58.75), Z=2.161, P=0.031)and aphasia quotient (18.00(7.50, 31.25) vs 42.50(20.50, 63.75), Z=2.256, P=0.024)were significantly improved through music therapy in acute group patients. However, no significant improvements were found in the speech language therapy group of acute patients. Conclusion The two therapies are effective in the chronic patients with non-fluent aphasia, and music therapy is also effective in acute patients with non-fluent aphasia. Key words: Stroke; Aphasia, Broca; Music therapy; Language therapy; Treatment outcome