Sensory motor aphasia after stroke

By the degree of danger to human life and health, cerebral circulation disorders can be placed on a par with cancer. In most cases, a stroke leads to disability. As is known, the defeat of brain cells negatively affects the quality of life of the patient, depriving him of control over his body, including the ability to walk, talk, and perceive communication.

Cause of Speech Disorder

Sensory motor aphasia after stroke is one of the most serious complications. Complete or partial loss of speech occurs with the suppression of individual brain functions, reducing the activity of specific areas of the cortex. Sensory-motor aphasia can also result from injuries, indicate the presence of benign or malignant tumors, encephalitis, and meningitis. Unlike other speech disorders that occur when the brain is damaged, this form is considered to be the heaviest. The combination of symptoms of sensory and motor aphasia is a hard-to-treat consequence of a stroke, because it is associated with the development of a pathological process in the hemisphere responsible for speech and motor activity.

What are the symptoms of the disease?

Why does sensorimotor aphasia occur, what is it? After a stroke, in some cases, the functionality of the lower frontal gyrus is disrupted, which ensures a person's ability to pronounce words. In parallel with the development of this pathology, a crash occurs in the cortical region of the brain, in particular, the upper part of the temporal divisions of both hemispheres, which leads to a loss of the ability to understand the meaning of speech. The patient does not cease to hear himself and others, but he can no longer perceive words.

The second name of the disease is acoustic-gnostic aphasia. Progression of the disease leads to spontaneous appearing speech, which in the absence of treatment becomes more like an inarticulate mooing. The degree of loss of ability to correctly speak and recognize what others say is determined by the severity of brain damage and individual characteristics of a person. With total or gross sensorimotor aphasia, implying a violation of all speech functions, there may be other symptoms. The most common manifestations are:

• absentmindedness;
• drowsiness;
• apathy to what is happening;
• inability to concentrate;
• partial paralysis of the muscles of the body.

What can prevent recovery?

The chances of a patient recovering from sensorimotor aphasia depend on a number of factors, which include the general condition of the patient, the presence of concomitant diseases and the effectiveness of the rehabilitation therapy used. Indeed, it is much more difficult to return a lost opportunity to speak and understand speech if the patient:

• has had a repeated hemorrhage;
• is diagnosed with atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension or other cardiovascular diseases;
• often causes ischemic attacks;
• is a progressive diabetes mellitus.

How to return speech after a stroke: therapy methods

At least two directions treat motor and sensory aphasia after a stroke. Speech therapy and conservative medicine are the main ways to restore speech function. Together with medications and logopedic exercises for activating the functions of the cerebral cortex in case of sensorimotor aphasia,

• may be prescribed for neurosurgical treatment( including abscess, intracranial hematoma),
• course of exercise therapy;
• physiotherapy procedures;
• massage;
• sessions of psychological impact.

Drugs for the stimulation of the cerebral circulation

So, we should start, perhaps, with the drugs that are prescribed to patients with a disorder of speech function. The course of medicines consists, as a rule, of neurotrophic drugs, whose action is aimed at normalizing metabolic processes in the brain and increasing blood circulation. With total aphasia, doctors prescribe:

• Piracetam is a nootropic drug used for speech and cognitive impairment. The duration of the course is determined by the neurologist and is usually 2 to 6 months. The drug is used by injection, injecting intravenously or intramuscularly.
• "Piritinol" - activates the cholinergic processes in the brain. After a stroke with aphasia appointed for 3-4 months.
• "Vazobral" is a combined drug, the active components of which stimulate the central nervous system. The duration of the course is 2-3 months on average.
• "Cerebrolysin" is a preparation of nootropic generation, it provides metabolism, neuroprotection, functionality of neuromodulation and neurotrophic activity. The course of therapy can be up to 12 months.

Speech therapist: exercises for correction of speech function

Logopedic correction with sensorimotor aphasia is the same fundamental method of treatment as the use of medications. To restore the patient's speech, various exercises are used to activate the activity of the right cerebral hemisphere. The following complex of training sessions for the patient who has undergone a stroke is aimed at restoring his jaw, tongue, and lips mobility skills in his memory. It must be done together with the patient - he must repeat after the instructor. To return speech with sensorimotor aphasia, it is necessary to train the speech apparatus every day as follows:

1. Lips lay down in a tube, pull out as much as possible and hold in this position for a few seconds, then relax. Exercises are repeated 10 times.
2. The lower lip needs to be slightly grasped with teeth, as if trying to bite it, then let it go and relax. Do the same with the upper lip.
3. Put the tongue as far as possible, strain your neck and hold your breath for 3 seconds, then exhale. Repeat several times.
4. Language lick your lips, confidently leading them around in a circle clockwise and in the opposite direction.
5. With the maximum tension of the tongue, try to roll it into a tube, and after touching it with the tip to the upper sky.

Melodic melodies for speech return

During the exercises with sensorimotor aphasia, specialists also focus on the therapy of melodic intonation. This technique is based on the activation of the functions of the legal cerebral hemisphere. To achieve the desired result, singing or just favorite musical compositions will help. If you often humming melodic motifs previously known to the patient, he will want to sing one day to his instructor, trying to pronounce the end of the phrases or individual words. Also help tongue twisters, which speak with a patient already going on the amendment. This method works effectively, contributing to early recovery of speech.

Surgery for incurable aphasia

Surgical treatment of stroke consequences involves direct intervention in the patient's skull for revascularization of the impaired speech zone. Today such intervention is carried out by means of extra-intracranial trepanation of the skull. Microanastomosis helps to improve the blood circulation of the brain and optimize the state of nerve cells, returning them normal functionality. It should be noted that this procedure is not assigned immediately after the first manifestations of sensorimotor aphasia, since the operation involves considerable risk and does not always give a positive result. Extra-intracranial microanastomosis is recommended if the use of conservative methods of speech restoration proved ineffective.

Physiotherapy for Speech Reconstruction

Physiotherapy procedures are useful for stimulation of the speech musculature. With aphasia prescribe acupuncture, electrophoresis. However, to date, physiotherapy after a stroke is not widespread. With local and superficial lesions of the cortex, the techniques really help to correct articulation, but they are ineffective in restoring the perception of speech heard by the patient. Has no precise confirmation of the effectiveness and tactics of biofeedback. Meanwhile, today this therapeutic tactic is used to visually control the restoration of the patient's speech.

What is the probability of recovery?

Prognosis of sensorimotor aphasia after stroke is relative, as it is impossible to say exactly how long it will take to rehabilitate a patient. As a rule, continued hard work with specialists gives noticeable results after 6 months. It is not worth hoping for a spontaneous recovery. On the average, when performing a multifaceted speech therapy correction speech in patients is restored only after 2-3 years.

The prognosis for recovery also depends on the individual characteristics of the patient and his age. Most elderly people are more difficult to cope with speech disorders, it is extremely rare to restore the former ability to communicate with others in full. However, with significant lesions of the cerebral cortex, there is little chance of complete rehabilitation in people of relatively young age. It is important as soon as possible to begin treatment and unquestioningly fulfill all medical prescriptions. The success of a patient with sensorimotor aphasia to recover is unlikely without the help of close people.

What to do if the family has a patient with aphasia

Relatives of a person who has had a stroke should be patient and prepared for a long and complicated rehabilitation path. It is not easy to return speech functions with sensorimotor aphasia, but it is not possible to drop hands prematurely. An important role in recovery will be played exclusively by the patient's positive attitude, his commitment and desire to work on himself. First of all, the patient should be sure that he is not a burden to his environment, feel the love of the closest and dearest people.

To return speech after a stroke, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations of specialists, regularly perform speech therapy exercises. Yes, the rehabilitation process really requires considerable effort, but the main thing is not to despair! Even minimal changes will be an incentive for continuing treatment and recovery.