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A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of - Queen Margaret University

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task also learned the least amount <strong>of</strong> new vocabulary. Perhaps a larger data set<br />

or more sensitive or more complex non-l<strong>in</strong>guistic learn<strong>in</strong>g tasks would provide<br />

further <strong>in</strong>formation on this po<strong>in</strong>t.<br />

The <strong>in</strong>tensity and tim<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> therapeutic <strong>in</strong>tervention is a controversial topic. This<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestigation supports previous studies which advocate the significance <strong>of</strong><br />

cortical plasticity <strong>in</strong> people <strong>in</strong> the chronic stages <strong>of</strong> recovery but has also<br />

<strong>in</strong>dicated that those <strong>in</strong> the more acute stages <strong>of</strong> stroke also demonstrate new<br />

synaptic connections despite the bra<strong>in</strong> recover<strong>in</strong>g from the trauma <strong>of</strong> stroke.<br />

This study employed an <strong>in</strong>tensive tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g regime over a period <strong>of</strong> four days and<br />

f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs are consistent with the literature that advocates the benefits <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>tensive<br />

tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. National cl<strong>in</strong>ical guidel<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> Scotland (SIGN, 2002) advocate that<br />

where <strong>in</strong>dividuals are well and motivated enough that they receive a m<strong>in</strong>imum <strong>of</strong><br />

two hours <strong>of</strong> speech and language therapy per week however, this does not<br />

appear to be the general experience <strong>of</strong> NHS patients. As suggested by Me<strong>in</strong>zer<br />

et al. (2002), alternative options could <strong>in</strong>volve tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g carers or perhaps use<br />

computer-based tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g programmes to provide daily <strong>in</strong>tensive therapy <strong>in</strong><br />

people’s own homes.<br />

Speculation about the impact <strong>of</strong> various prognostic factors highlights the<br />

requirement <strong>of</strong> caution for cl<strong>in</strong>icians. In particular group trends <strong>in</strong>dicate that<br />

<strong>in</strong>dividuals with the best prognosis for language restitution are young, well<br />

educated perhaps <strong>in</strong> a highly skilled occupation and with <strong>in</strong>tact cognitive<br />

abilities. Does this suggest therefore that all other <strong>in</strong>dividuals should be refused<br />

language rehabilitation? Firstly, it is not <strong>of</strong>ten that someone would present with<br />

such a pr<strong>of</strong>ile follow<strong>in</strong>g a stroke. Secondly and more importantly, analysis <strong>of</strong> the<br />

<strong>in</strong>dividual data <strong>in</strong>dicates that the group trends are not true for all <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>in</strong><br />

the <strong>in</strong>vestigation. Caution should therefore be advised regard<strong>in</strong>g blanket<br />

statements from group studies and supports those advocates <strong>of</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gle case<br />

studies or case series over randomised control trials and other group studies for<br />

281

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