Sensory-Motor Integration for Speech Rehabilitation in Patients with Post-stroke Aphasia

The enriched rehabilitation is based on the use of sensory-motor integration in addition to conventional speech therapy. The sensory-motor integration method is based on the Ultraspeech-player software. This software allows therapists to display movements of speech articulators (tongue and lips) recorded on a reference speaker during production of vowels or consonants (isolated or combined). Sagittal movements of the tongue are recorded using ultrasound and front views of lip movements are captured through video imaging. During rehabilitation with the Ultraspeech-player software, patients will be seated in front of a computer screen, observe articulatory movements and listen to phonemes. Then, they will be required to repeat each of them five times and move on to the next phoneme, with the agreement of the experimenter.

The simple rehabilitation is based on conventional speech therapy. The conventional speech therapy will be provided by the speech therapist. Classically, the speech therapist uses word production with repetition and naming exercises. The therapist will show the patient series of pictures associated or not with written words, and the patient is required to name them and/or read aloud the word. In case of impossibility to perform the task, the therapist may can help the patient by using the indexing method or by asking the patient to repeat after him/her. According to patient's competencies and progress, the difficulty of reeducation can increase progressively.