Neuropsychological Rehabilitation in a Case of Dynamic Aphasia

Abstract

Dynamic aphasia is considered to be a rare neuropsychological syndrome. Reports of cases of dymanic aphasia aren’t so frequent in literature. The objective of this work is to show the effects of the program for neuropsychological rehabilitation in a case of an adult patient with dynamic aphasia. The patient was a young left-handed woman who suffered bilateral damage in anterior cortical regions as a result of traumatic brain injury. The qualitative neuropsychological assessment established a clinical syndrome of dynamic aphasia (according to the classification proposed by A.R. Luria) together with severe spatial difficulties. The content for the neuropsychological program was created and applied 3 times per week during the period of 4 months, with the total of 40 individual sessions. The tasks of the program were carried out on different levels of actions, including material, perceptive and verbal levels. The guided activities were used during the work of rehabilitation. Therapist has always provided all necessary orientation, while the execution was divided between patient and the therapist. Examples of execution of tasks of neuropsychological assessment are presented before and after the work with the program. The results pointed out essential changes in speech production of the patient together with successful execution of tasks for visuo-spatial orientation. Positive changes were noticed in emotional sphere of the patient as she started to communicate in her family. High possibilities of neuropsychological rehabilitation together with neuroplasticity should be considered in cases of brain injury. We conclude that neuropsychological rehabilitation created on solid theoretical bases may improve significantly the level of life and social activity of patients with brain damage.