New Delhi: Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) in collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), New Delhi, have developed the first Hindi version of Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) for stroke survivors with speech impairment.This music-based therapy is designed for people with post-stroke aphasia, a condition in which patients can understand speech but have difficulty speaking fluently. The pilot study conducted by the research team has been published in the international journal Aphasiology.Hindi adaptation of speech therapy methodsMelodic Intonation Therapy uses melody and rhythm to help rebuild speech abilities through the connection between music and the brain’s language functions. The therapy has been used in several Western languages, but before this study there was no validated version in Hindi.The researchers adapted MIT to Hindi by modifying words, melodies and rhythmic patterns to match the language’s natural stress patterns and rhythms. The team works to develop exercises that correspond to the way Hindi speakers communicate in their daily lives.Hindi is spoken by hundreds of millions of people, and researchers note that many existing aphasia treatment resources in India are English-based approaches, which may not reflect the language patterns of Hindi speakers.Pilot study involving stroke survivorsThe pilot study involved six Hindi-speaking stroke survivors who each received 40 sessions. Each session lasts 45 to 60 minutes and is conducted by a trained speech therapist.All participants completed the treatment program and showed improvements above the threshold considered clinically meaningful by their physicians. Researchers reported improvements in sentence formation, speech fluency, and quality-of-life measures.Professor Rahul Garg, one of the researchers who led the study, said: “Patients were able to produce longer sentences, speak more freely and reported improved quality of life. There were no adverse effects.”Researchers stress the need for further researchThe team said these results are preliminary due to the small number of participants in the pilot study. Further studies with larger groups are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the MIT approach in Hindi.“With only six patients, the results should be seen as a strong preliminary signal rather than final evidence. The team is also exploring digital tools so that the therapy can eventually reach patients outside of specialist hospitals,” said Professor NM Anoop Krishnan, another researcher who led the study.The interdisciplinary collaboration behind the researchThe research was led by Professors NM Anoop Krishnan and Rahul Garg of IIT Delhi and Deepti Vibha from AIIMS New Delhi. Dushyant Soni, a PhD scholar at the National Resource Center for Values in Engineering Education (NRCVEE), IIT Delhi, and Rupanshi Ahuja, a project staff member at IIT Delhi, are co-first authors.The research team also included experts from AIIMS and IHBAS, New Delhi, including speech therapists, neurologists and otolaryngologists. The collaboration combines expertise in engineering, medicine and rehabilitation sciences.The study, titled “Hindi-Adapted Melodic Intonation Therapy for Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Pilot Feasibility Study,” has been published in the Journal of Aphasia.
