Actively Recruiting
Enhancing Language Function in Aphasia Using Behavioral Language Intervention
Led by University of Arizona · Updated on 2024-12-09
30
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
76 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Aphasia is a language impairment often caused by brain damage, affecting understanding, speaking, reading, and writing. This study aims to develop and evaluate a semantic-based language treatment for individuals with acquired language disorders such as aphasia, including those caused by stroke or dementia and primary progressive aphasia. Researchers want to understand both the treatment's impact on language abilities and the related brain activity changes over time. Participants will receive individualized language therapy focused on semantic or phonological strategies to improve word finding, sentence formation, and storytelling abilities. The treatment is tailored to each participant's language and cognitive level, based on baseline testing. Sessions occur twice weekly for 10 weeks. A control group will receive standard speech-language intervention for comparison. Participants will undergo assessments before treatment, immediately after, and two months post-treatment. These include cognitive and language tests, electroencephalography (EEG) recordings, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to monitor brain activity and language improvements. The study measures changes in naming ability, aphasia severity, and language task performance over about one year. This comprehensive evaluation will help understand both short- and long-term effects of the treatments.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Enhancing Language Function in Aphasia
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Present with speech-language impairment (aphasia) caused by stroke or dementia
- Medical diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) by a neurologist or physician
- Native speakers of English
- No contraindications for MRI
- Adequate (normal or corrected to normal) vision and hearing
You will not qualify if you...
- Diagnosed with mood, anxiety, psychotic, or substance abuse disorders
- Have highly magnetizable metallic implants, including certain dental work, affecting MRI quality
- Have neurological disorders other than those studied (e.g., epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease)
- Contraindications for MRI such as pacemakers, metallic cardiac pumps, valves, surgical clips, implanted electronic perfusion pumps
- Suffer from clinically significant claustrophobia
- Have severe systemic diseases (e.g., renal failure)
- Poor overall health
- Are pregnant
- History of epileptic activity in the past 12 months
- Personal or family history of epilepsy or other seizure disorders
- Had brain surgery in the past
- Implanted metallic skull plates or intracranial implants
- Skin lesions or skull damage
- History of excessive alcohol or drug use
- Premorbid psychiatric disease affecting communication
- Severe non-linguistic cognitive disturbances impeding 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 - 1 week
Participants who meet eligibility criteria undergo baseline cognitive and language assessments, EEG recording, and an MRI scan to evaluate their language and cognitive abilities before treatment.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 10 weeks
Participants receive individualized language treatment, learning strategies to improve word finding, sentence formulation, and discourse. Treatment is tailored based on baseline assessment results.
Twice weekly visits for 10 weeks
Duration - 1 week
Immediately following treatment, participants undergo cognitive and language assessments, EEG recording, and an MRI scan to assess short-term changes in language function and neural activity.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 1 week
Two months after treatment, participants return for cognitive and language assessments, EEG recording, and an MRI scan to evaluate long-term changes in behavioral abilities and neural responses.
1 visit (in-person)
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85721-0071
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
A
Aneta Kielar, PhD
F
Fatima Jebahi, MS
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
TRIPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
FACTORIAL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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