Anomia Therapy and Executive Function Training in Chronic Post-stroke Aphasia: Pilot Study of Multidimensional Effects

After the initial assessment + functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), participants will first receive their usual speech therapy rehabilitation for 10 to 15 sessions (baseline phase), and then enter the experimental phase: 18 sessions (3 per week) of either anomia therapy alone or anomia therapy + executive function training, according to the arm they were assigned to. All sessions will last 45 minutes. Naming skills will be repeatedly measured during both phases. A second assessment of language + fMRI will then be conducted and participants will return to their usual rehabilitation. Four weeks later, a final assessment of naming and discourse will be conducted.

Executive function training will be conducted by means of a computerized material specifically designed for the study, consisting of verbal and nonverbal exercises targeting, always in the same order, inhibition, shifting, working memory and planning functions, with a gradient of difficulty. Training will always be done at the beginning of the session, during 20 minutes, before anomia therapy.