Enhancing Language Function in Aphasia

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · Jun 29, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is focused on improving language skills in individuals with aphasia, a condition that affects a person's ability to communicate due to damage in the brain, often from a stroke or dementia. The study aims to explore how effective language-based treatments are and to understand the changes in the brain that occur as a result of these treatments. Aphasia can make it hard for people to understand, speak, read, and write, and it affects millions of Americans each year. The goal of this research is to help improve communication abilities and overall quality of life for those living with aphasia.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must have a speech-language impairment caused by a stroke or a specific type of dementia called primary progressive aphasia. They should be native English speakers and have no serious health conditions that would limit their participation, such as certain mental health disorders or conditions that prevent them from undergoing an MRI scan (a type of imaging test used in the study). Participants can expect to engage in language-based treatments and may also have brain scans to help researchers understand how the treatment affects both language skills and brain function. This study is currently recruiting and welcomes individuals aged between 76 and 92 years.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Present with speech-language impairment (aphasia) caused by stroke or dementia
• • 2. A medical diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) by a neurologist or physician
• • 3. Are native speakers of English
• • 4. Present with no contraindications for MRI
• • 5. Have adequate (normal or corrected to normal) vision and hearing
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Individuals diagnosed with mood, anxiety, psychotic or substance abuse disorders.
• • 2. Individuals with highly magnetizable metallic implants, including certain dental work, may be excluded due to image quality in MRI.
• • 3. Individuals with other neurological disorders besides the ones of interest for the study (e.g., epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease)
• • 4. Individuals with contraindications for MRI. This includes but is not limited to pacemakers, metallic cardiac pumps, valves, magnetic materials such as surgical clips, implanted electronic perfusion pumps, or any other condition that would preclude proximity to a strong magnetic field.
• • 5. Individuals suffering from clinically significant claustrophobia
• • 6. Severe systemic disease (e.g., renal failure)
• • 7. Poor overall health
• • 8. Individuals who are pregnant
• • 9. Individuals with a history of epileptic activity in the past 12 months
• • 10. Individuals with a personal or family history of epilepsy or other seizure disorders will not be included in the study.
• • 11. Individuals who have had a brain surgery in the past
• • 12. Individuals with implanted metallic skull plates or intracranial implants
• • 13. Individuals with skin lesions or skull damage
• • 14. Individuals who have a history of excessive use of alcohol or drugs
• • 15. Individuals with premorbid psychiatric disease affecting communication
• • 16. Individuals with severe non-linguistic cognitive disturbances impeding language therapy