Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Apr 6, 2024; 12(10): 1742-1749
Published online Apr 6, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i10.1742
Impact of transcranial electrical stimulation on serum neurotrophic factors and language function in patients with speech disorders
Li Sun, Kai Xiao, Xiao-Yan Shen, Shu Wang
Li Sun, Kai Xiao, Xiao-Yan Shen, Shu Wang, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of the Yangtze River Shipping, Wuhan 430010, Hubei Province, China
Co-first authors: Li Sun and Kai Xiao.
Author contributions: Sun L and Wang S conceptualized and designed the article; Sun L conducted the feasibility analysis; Implementation of the research by Sun L, Xiao K, and Shen XY, as well as the statistical analysis; Data collection was carried out by Sun L and Xiao K; Sun L was responsible for paper writing and revision; Wang S oversaw quality control, proofreading, and overall responsibility, supervision, and management of the article.
Supported by the Wuhan Municipal Health and Wellness Research Fund, No. WX19D58 and No. WX21D03.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Yangtze River Shipping General Hospital, No. HCHLL-19-0111.
Informed consent statement: Patients were not required to give informed consent to the study because the analysis used anonymous clinical data that were obtained after each patient agreed to treatment by written consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: The dataset for this study is available from the corresponding author, Email: wang31228@163.com.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Shu Wang, MD, Attending Doctor, Staff Physician, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of the Yangtze River Shipping, No. 5 Huiji Road, Jiangan District, Wuhan 430010, Hubei Province, China. wang31228@163.com
Received: January 19, 2024
Peer-review started: January 19, 2024
First decision: February 5, 2024
Revised: February 26, 2024
Accepted: March 12, 2024
Article in press: March 12, 2024
Published online: April 6, 2024
Processing time: 74 Days and 2.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Speech disorders have a substantial impact on communication abilities and quality of life. Traditional treatments such as speech and psychological therapies frequently demonstrate limited effectiveness and patient compliance. Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) has emerged as a promising non-invasive treatment to improve neurological functions. However, its effectiveness in enhancing language functions and serum neurofactor levels in individuals with speech disorders requires further investigation.

AIM

To investigate the impact of TES in conjunction with standard therapies on serum neurotrophic factor levels and language function in patients with speech disorders.

METHODS

In a controlled study spanning from March 2019 to November 2021, 81 patients with speech disorders were divided into a control group (n = 40) receiving standard speech stimulation and psychological intervention, and an observation group (n = 41) receiving additional TES. The study assessed serum levels of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and nerve growth factor (NGF), as well as evaluations of motor function, language function, and development quotient scores.

RESULTS

After 3 wk of intervention, the observation group exhibited significantly higher serum levels of CNTF, GDNF, BDNF, and NGF compared to the control group. Moreover, improvements were noted in motor function, cognitive function, language skills, physical abilities, and overall development quotient scores. It is worth mentioning that the observation group also displayed superior performance in language-specific tasks such as writing, reading comprehension, retelling, and fluency.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective study concluded that TES combined with traditional speech and psychotherapy can effectively increase the levels of neurokines in the blood and enhance language function in patients with speech disorders. These results provide a promising avenue for integrating TES into standard treatment methods for speech disorders.

Keywords: Transcranial electrical stimulation; Serum neurofactor levels; Developmental level; Language features

Core Tip: This study highlights the potential of transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) as a valuable additional therapy for individuals with speech disorders. Through the combination of TES with conventional speech and psychological interventions, our research shows significant enhancements in serum neurofactor levels and language functions. These results support the integration of TES into treatment plans, potentially transforming the management of speech disorders. This progress not only presents a novel approach to therapy but also emphasizes the significance of innovative, non-invasive methods in improving patient outcomes within the field of speech and language therapy.