View clinical trials related to Aphasia.
Filter by:Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is an untreatable neurodegenerative disorder that disrupts language functions. Available therapies are mainly symptomatic and recently attention has been gained by new techniques that allow for noninvasive brain stimulation such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The primary objective of this study is to evaluate whether the application of Active tDCS (anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex- DLPFC with the cathode over the right supraorbital region) to the scalp during individualized language training, would improve naming abilities in the agrammatic variant of PPA (avPPA) more than use of one methodology alone. The effect of treatment on the clinical symptoms will be related to changes in brain activity (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI and Functional near-infrared spectroscopy fNIRS) and in biological markers, using a multimodal approach. Finally, we will assess the long-term effects of this approach.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has been demonstrated to improve language function in subjects with chronic aphasia in a number of small studies, many of which did not include a control group. Although the treatment appears promising, data to date do not permit an adequate assessment of the utility of the technique. The investigators propose to study the effects of TMS combined with Constraint Induced Language Therapy (CILT) in 75 subjects with chronic aphasia. Subjects will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to TMS with CILT or sham TMS with CILT. One Hz TMS at 90% motor threshold will be delivered to the right inferior frontal gyrus for 20 minutes in 10 sessions over 2 weeks; language therapy will be provided for one hour immediately after the conclusion of each session of TMS. Change from baseline in the Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia Quotient at 6 months after the end of TMS treatment will serve as the primary outcome measure. A secondary aim is to identify anatomic and behavioral predictors of response to treatment. Finally, a third aim is to identify the mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of the treatment using a variety of imaging techniques. Subjects who have no contraindication to the MRI will undergo fMRI imaging prior to and at 6 months after therapy. Using modern network analyses and robust machine learning techniques, the investigators will identify changes in the strengths of connections between nodes in the language network to address specific hypotheses regarding the effects of TMS and CILT on brain organization that are associated with beneficial response to treatment.
Combined analysis of functional and structural language network changes may be a good model for predicting language outcome.
This study is a pilot trial evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of AADvac1 in patients with the non-fluent variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia. 50% of participants will receive the 40 µg dosage of AADvac1 and 50% of participants will receive the 160 µg dosage of AADvac1. No placebo is used.
The purpose of the study is to determine if speech therapy can be enhanced by Aerobic Exercise (AE). Investigators will use a single subject design to determine if aphasia therapy result in greater gains when combined with aerobic exercise.
The goal of this study is to identify the most reliable methods of analysis for tracking CBD, PSP, and o/vPSP over time. The results from this study may be used in the future to calculate statistical power for clinical drug trials. The study will also provide information about the relative value of novel imaging techniques for diagnosis, as well as the value of imaging techniques versus testing of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 'biomarkers'.
Participants will receive either intensive phonology or semantic feature analysis treatment for 16 weeks to improve naming, reading, and writing in individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia.
The goal of this study is to remediate word-finding problems in patients who have Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) or Alzheimer's Disease and to delay the further progression of word-finding impairment. The current approach is novel in that it contains a prophylaxis component in which the investigators attempt to strengthen neural connections that remain functional, making them more resistant to degradation as the disease progresses. While the study is specific in its targeting of word-finding problems, a successful outcome would bode well for other studies aimed at prevention or reversal of declining cognitive functions in dementia. One set of participants with PPA will receive practice with picture naming in two conditions: viewing the picture and repeating the name; and viewing the picture with its written name, plus reading and writing the name. Another set of participants with PPA or Alzheimer's Disease will be trained in two different conditions: learning about the word's semantic features (meaning); and learning about the word's lexical features (letters and sounds). Naming of pictures trained in each of these conditions will be compared, at three time intervals post-training, with naming of pictures tested before the study but never trained. It is predicted that the pairing of the picture with its written name, combined with the motor task of writing the name, will result in a greater ability to name the picture at a later date than simple practice viewing the picture and repeating the name. Furthermore, it is predicted that participants who have difficulty understanding concepts will be more likely to respond to semantic treatment, while participants who have difficulty connecting words with concepts will be more likely to respond to lexical treatment.
The study investigates the possibility that levetiracetam may improve the symptoms of chronic post-stroke aphasia.