NCT04193267

Can Magnetic Brain Stimulation Improve Language Function in Primary Progressive Aphasia

rTMS for the Improvement of Language Functioning in the Logopenic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia; a Feasibility and Tolerability Pilot Study

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Manitoba · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) - a form of non-invasive brain stimulation - to improve language functioning in individuals who have the logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia (PPA-L) - a slowly progressive impairment of language, characterized by difficulties with word-finding, sentence repetition and sentence comprehension.

Detailed description

This study is an open label pilot study that aims to recruit 10 individuals with diagnosed logopenic primary progressive aphasia (PPA-L) to investigate the tolerability and efficacy of using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to improve language functioning in this disorder. rTMS is a non-invasive method of brain stimulation that uses rapid magnetic pulses applied over the scalp to activate neurons in a specified target location of the brain. A variety of language tests will be administered to participants prior to rTMS treatment as well as following 30 sessions of daily rTMS. Additionally, language testing will be performed during the first session of rTMS treatment in order to assess the effect of simultaneous rTMS administration on language function. Performance on the pre- and post-treatment tests will be compared to determine the effect of rTMS treatment on language abilities. Treatment will consist of daily sessions of high frequency (10 Hz) rTMS applied over the left temporal gyrus. Patients will receive one session of rTMS per day for 30 consecutive weekdays. Each session will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. As a pilot study, this research will be used to evaluate the effect size and the feasibility of a more definitive project in the future. Both patient response and tolerability to rTMS will be analyzed.

Conditions

• Logopenic Progressive Aphasia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	MagStim Rapid2 Transcranial Magnetic Simulation	A non-invasive method of brain stimulation

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-06-01
• Primary completion: 2022-08-01
• Completion: 2022-12-01
• First posted: 2019-12-10
• Last updated: 2021-03-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada