Effect of Acupuncture Combined With Computer-Assisted Cognitive Training on Language and Cognitive Functions in Poststroke Aphasia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Poststroke aphasia (PSA) significantly impairs language and cognitive functioning, yet few interventions comprehensively address both domains. This study evaluated the efficacy of an intervention combining acupuncture and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation using the RehaCom cognitive training system (hereinafter, ACR) on language and nonverbal cognitive function in individuals with PSA. Method: A single-center randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary rehabilitation hospital in Fujian Province, China. Eighty patients with PSA were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the combined-intervention group (ACR plus standard speech and language therapy [SLT]) or the SLT group (SLT only). The intervention consisted of five 30-min sessions per week. Primary and secondary outcomes were assessed using the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised (WAB-R) and the Non–language-based Cognitive Assessment (NLCA) at baseline, Week 4, and Week 12 (post-intervention). Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate group differences over time. Results: Of the 80 enrolled participants, 71 (88.75%) completed the 12-week intervention. Compared with the SLT group, participants in the combined-intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in the WAB-R Aphasia Quotient at both 4 weeks ( B = 5.961, 95% CI [3.765, 8.158], p < .001, Cohen's d = 0.135) and 12 weeks ( B = 11.806, 95% CI [8.050, 15.563], p < .001, Cohen's d = 0.460). Significant gains were also observed in WAB-R subdomains, including Spontaneous Speech, Auditory Comprehension, Repetition, and Naming, with small-to-moderate effect sizes. Moreover, the combined-intervention group exhibited substantial improvements in nonverbal cognitive function, as measured by the NLCA, with moderate-to-large effect sizes at both post-intervention points (Cohen's d = 0.434 at 4 weeks; Cohen's d = 0.847 at 12 weeks). Conclusions: The ACR intervention yielded significant and clinically meaningful improvements in both language and cognitive functions in patients with PSA. This multimodal approach represents a promising therapeutic strategy for comprehensive aphasia rehabilitation.