An Evaluation of a New Nonverbal Treatment for Global Aphasia

Stroke Clinical Trial

Official title:

An Investigation Into the Effect of a Novel, Non Verbal, Cognitive Treatment on Functional Communication in Global Aphasia

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02545894
• Other study ID #: 13/0581
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 2014
• Est. completion date: December 2016

Study information

• Verified date: January 2020
• Source: University College, London
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

People with global aphasia (PwGA) post stroke have little to no meaningful communication abilities (ie limited comprehension, spoken language, reading and writing abilities).A proportion of PwGA will also have limited abilities to use any alternative means of communication e.g. gesture, pictures or computer devices. There is a suggestion in the literature that this is because of co-occurring cognitive deficits. The consequence is that these clients are unable to reliably communicate even their basic needs.This is commonly known as having no functional communication abilities. Such PwGA tend not to respond to standard speech and language therapy interventions.

This research will investigate the effect of a new cognitive intervention designed to improve basic functional communication abilities. The treatment will be nonverbal and involve computer and paperbased tasks ordered hierarchically from basic to more complex tasks. Six to eight participants will take part. All their sessions will take place in their own home. For some this may be a care home. They will first complete a diagnostic communication assessment in order for baseline abilities to be established. Further formal language and cognitive assessments will be conducted over a period of 6 weeks. A relative/friend will complete a questionnaires about mood/communication. The PwGA will also be videoed interacting with the research student e.g. looking at a magazine, completing a jigsaw, answering questions and making choices non-verbally.

The participants then receive the new intervention 3 times a week for 6 consecutive weeks. All intervention sessions will be videoed. Then participants will be reassessed over 2 weeks using the same assessments as prior to the intervention. The questionnaire with their relative/friend and videoed activity session will also be repeated. After a twelve week break the participant will be videoed interacting with the research student complete some of the assessments again and their relative will re-complete the questionnaires.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 6
• Est. completion date: December 2016
• Est. primary completion date: June 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• have global aphasia as diagnosed by an SLT

• have little or no verbal output

• inconsistent single word comprehension

• little or no ability to read or write

• little or no ability to use alternative modes of communication

• Little or no ability to make choices in function

• no diagnosis/history of a progressive neurological condition

• no diagnosis of hearing loss

• no diagnosis/history of a mental health condition

• English as a first language

Exclusion Criteria:

• has another form of aphasia

• is able to consistently express basic needs non-verbally or verbally.

• is able to participate in communicative interaction with a familiar other

• has a history of a progressive neurological condition

• has hearing loss

• has a diagnosis/history of a mental health condition

• does not have English as a first language.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aphasia
• Stroke

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Cognitive therapy
The tasks are: visually tracking a picture as it moves across the computer screen pressing a button every time a picture is seen on the screen pressing a button every time a specific picture is seen on the screen Pressing a button every time a specific sound is heard Matching objects to a picture Matching gestures to objects Matching two connected objects Sorting objects by categories Matching sounds to objects "Complete the category" and "odd on out with objects" Choosing target objects by pointing Choosing objects to complete the category by pointing

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	University College London, Research Dept of Language and Cognition	London

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University College, London

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	American Speech and Hearing Association -Functional Assessment of Communication	Questionnaire completed by friend/relative	27 weeks
Primary	Constructed Interaction Task	video recorded interaction	27 weeks
Secondary	Aphasia Screening Test	Language assessment	14 weeks
Secondary	Mood Screen	depression screening tool	27 weeks
Secondary	Pyramids and Palm Trees Test	pictorial semantic assessment	27 weeks
Secondary	Wisconsin Card Sorting Test	cognitive assessment	14 weeks
Secondary	Butt Non verbal reasoning test	cognitive assessment	27 weeks
Secondary	Western Aphasia Battery cognitive sub test	cognitive assessment	14 weeks