Figure 1.

The importance of connectivity changes between elements of the language system resulting from aphasia therapy is illustrated by the work of Woodhead and colleagues.¹³ Specifically, effects of a phonological therapy (‘Earobics’, an e-therapy) on the connectivity within the temporal lobes of 20 patients with chronic ‘Wernicke-type’ aphasia are shown. Phonological training resulted in a small but significant improvement in patients’ speech comprehension. (A) The magnetoencephalography (MEG) connectivity analysis demonstrated that phonological training increased synaptic gain in the L STG as well as connectivity between the L STG and primary auditory cortex (HG). Pink connexions showed significantly stronger phonemic sensitivity after Earobics training (main effect of Earobics). (B) Also (not discussed in text), as opposed to increased synaptic gain in the L STG, patients with more severe speech comprehension impairments showed strengthening of bidirectional connexions between the left and right STG. L HG, left Heschl’s gyrus; L STG, left superior temporal gyrus; R HG, right Heschl’s gyrus; R STG, right superior temporal gyrus. This figure is adapted from the original figure (figure 5) in J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry (online first): 04 March 2017. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2016-3 14 621 (Link to license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/” and http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/early/2017/03/04/jnnp-2016-314621.info).