NCT05443633

Enhancing Language Function in Aphasia

Enhancing Language Function in Aphasia Using Behavioral Language Intervention

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Arizona · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Aphasia is an acquired impairment of language, that commonly results from damage to language areas in the brain (typically the left side of the brain). This impairment is seen in many aspects of language, including understanding, speaking, reading and writing. It is estimated that about 2 million individuals are currently living with aphasia in the United States. Further, about 200,000 Americans acquire aphasia every year (National Aphasia Association, 2020). Aphasia poses significant impact on the affected individuals and their families. Behavioral treatments that target language deficits have been shown to enhance overall communication skills and life satisfaction among individuals with aphasia. Although there is evidence that suggests that treatment is efficacious for individuals with aphasia, the extent of improvement long-term coupled with the neural patterns among those individuals are largely unknown. The current study aims to investigate the efficacy of language-based treatment and its corresponding neural patterns.

Detailed description

The purpose of this study is to develop semantic-based treatment to address language deficits in individuals with acquired language disorders. We propose to develop an individually optimized semantic-based protocol for strategy implementation and word finding facilitation among individuals with language disorders. Phase 1: Following screening, participants who fulfill the inclusion criteria and have consented to participate in the study will undergo baseline cognitive and language assessment, electroencephalography (EEG) recording and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Participants with language disorders will proceed to the following phases. Phase 2: After baseline assessment, participants will undergo individualized language treatment in which they will learn semantically- or phonologically based strategies to facilitate word finding difficulties, sentence formulation, or challenges in their narration and discourse. The level at which the treatment will be administered will depend on the participants' level of performance determined by the results of the language and cognitive testing done at baseline. Treatment will be administered twice a week for 10 weeks. Phase 3: Directly following treatment, patients will undergo cognitive and language assessment, EEG recording, and an MRI scan. This is done to test for short-term changes in behavioral abilities and neural patterns. Phase 4: After 2 months after the treatment, participants will undergo cognitive and language assessment, EEG recording, and an MRI scan. This final phase of testing is done to test for long-term changes in behavioral abilities and neural responses.

Conditions

• Aphasia, Acquired
• Language Disorders
• Primary Progressive Aphasia
• Stroke, Cerebrovascular

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	individualized speech-language training	Language treatment might include lexical, semantic, and interactive treatment. During treatment, patients may be trained to name words by attempting to self-cue lexical retrieval. The therapy moves incrementally through semantic cuing. The semantic treatment will be implemented using the methods described in (Edmonds et al., 2009, 2014).
BEHAVIORAL	standard language intervention	Participants will undergo standard speech-language naming therapy

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-10-30
• Primary completion: 2027-06-30
• Completion: 2028-12-15
• First posted: 2022-07-05
• Last updated: 2024-12-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States