Neuropsychological rehabilitation in mixed aphasia: a case study using right hemisphere compensatory strategies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24054/cbs.v4i4.4664Keywords:
Aphasia, Neuropsychological rehabilitation, Language, Brain plasticityAbstract
Aphasia is a language disorder caused by neurological lesions, typically in the left hemisphere, which manifests as the loss or breakdown of psychophysiological mechanisms. Since Luria’s proposal, it has been studied as a syndrome in which each type corresponds to a specific factor and location. In this sense, neuropsychological rehabilitation is based on the functional reorganization of the impaired system, both at the intrasystemic and intersystemic levels. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a neuropsychological rehabilitation program based on right-hemisphere compensation in a 58-year-old man with mixed aphasia. The initial qualitative assessment indicated impairments in expressive and receptive language. The intervention was conducted over 12 weeks, utilizing a circumventing method, it consisted of four phases employing strategies based on: rhythm, melody, and automated language. The results of the second assessment indicate a recovery of the sensory component of language. Additionally, an improvement in expressive and spontaneous language were observed. It was concluded that indirect neuropsychological intervention promotes recovery, supporting the use of compensatory mechanisms and the restructuring of the language process through the integration of preserved functions. Further research is needed to generalize the findings and to explore the physiological mechanisms underlying the functional reorganization of language.
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