Virtual Reality in Aphasia Rehabilitation

The Virtual Reality Rises; The Fall of The Aphasia

Virtual reality-based aphasia rehabilitation has been shown to improve the language skills of individuals with aphasia in the chronic period after stroke. However, non-immersive or semi-immersive rehabilitation methods have often been adopted in the studies. Considering the importance of the visual given to the patient for naming, it can be thought that full immersive therapy may be more effective. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cue-based aphasia naming therapy in a fully immersive virtual reality environment on aphasia severity and aphasia-related quality of life and to compare it with standard cue treatments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with non-fluent aphasia by a neurologist
• at least 4 months after stroke
• A score of 29 and above on the language score sub-item of the GAT scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe sensory impairments (vision, hearing) that prevent participation in therapies
• severe motor dysfunction
• apraxia
• neglect
• dementia
• psychiatric disorders
• 3D vision problems