Actively Recruiting
Improving Reading Competence in Aphasia With Combined Aerobic Exercise and Phono-Motor Treatment
Led by Kessler Foundation · Updated on 2025-05-21
70
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating a new combined approach to treat reading disorders after stroke, focusing on improving language through exercise and targeted therapy. The study involves adults with chronic aphasia caused by left-hemisphere stroke, aiming to enhance cerebral blood flow and rebuild damaged brain networks related to reading. This randomized controlled trial intends to advance understanding of stroke recovery and improve functional outcomes for individuals with post-stroke reading deficits. Participants will receive 40 sessions, each lasting 2 hours daily, four to five times a week. One group will perform 20 minutes of moderate aerobic cycling exercise followed by 90 minutes of Phono-Motor Therapy (PMT), which targets sound units and syllables to improve reading skills. The comparison group will do light stretching exercises for 20 minutes before the same PMT session. Both groups begin with warm-up and cool-down periods and complete logs on their experiences. Before, during, and after the treatment course, participants undergo behavioral testing and three MRI scans to measure brain activity and blood flow changes. Assessments include reading aloud, comprehension, and language batteries, conducted at baseline and within two weeks after treatment completion, approximately 10 weeks from the study start. The study also monitors participants' effort and safety throughout the intervention to evaluate the combined treatment's effectiveness and neurological impact.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Combined Exercise and Targeted Therapy for Post-Stroke Reading Deficits
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Fluent and literate in English before the stroke
- Experienced a first-ever stroke
- More than 3 months have passed since the stroke
- Have post-stroke reading deficits with less than 83% accuracy for single words or less than 65% for readable nonwords
- Live within 50 miles of Kessler Foundation
You will not qualify if you...
- Have contraindications to MRI scans
- Have prior neurological diseases other than the first stroke
- Have developmental learning or reading disabilities such as developmental dyslexia
- Have contraindications to exercise
- Are currently receiving speech and language therapy
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Approximately 8 to 10 weeks
Participants complete 40, once-daily 2-hour intervention sessions administered 4-5 times per week. Sessions include a warm-up, followed by either 20 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or light stretching, a cool-down, and then 90 minutes of targeted reading treatment (Phono-Motor Therapy). Participants rate their effort and complete logs during sessions.
40 visits (in-person)
Duration - Within 2 weeks after treatment completion
Participants undergo behavioral testing and MRI scans before and after the intervention to assess reading performance and brain activity.
3 MRI scans and 2 behavioral testing sessions (in-person)
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Kessler Foundation
West Orange, New Jersey, United States, 07052
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
O
Olga Boukrina, PhD
M
Matthew R Weiner
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
TRIPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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