Long-term Effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Primary Progressive Aphasia: Randomized, Double-blind Clinical Trial (RECONNECT-PLUS)

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how different non-invasive brain stimulation methods affect the progression of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) over six months. The study compares three types of brain stimulation—Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), and a combination of both—against a sham (placebo) stimulation. All participants will also receive language therapy, as PPA mainly impacts language abilities and daily functioning. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation follows an intermittent theta-burst protocol targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while Transcranial Electrical Stimulation uses an excitatory approach over the same area. Each brain stimulation session is guided by neuronavigation. Language therapy, based on the lexical retrieval cascade protocol, is provided immediately after each brain stimulation session. Treatment lasts six months, starting with an intensive period of 10 daily sessions over two weeks, followed by weekly maintenance sessions for 22 weeks. Participants will undergo assessments throughout the study, including language and cognitive tests such as the Mini-Linguistic State Examination, naming trained words, ACE-III, and neuropsychiatric inventories, all measured at six months. Brain imaging with FDG-PET will also be performed. Researchers will monitor how language abilities and daily living activities change during the study. Safety and progress will be tracked with regular evaluations to understand the long-term effects of these brain stimulation techniques on PPA.

Long Term Effect of Brain Stimulation in PPA