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tDCS + Speech-Language Therapy for Aphasia

N/A

Waitlist Available

Led By Kyrana Tsapkini, PhD

Research Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Must be clinically diagnosed with nfvPPA or unclassifiable PPA. Diagnosis will be based on neuropsychological testing, language testing (most commonly the Western Aphasia Battery), MRI and clinical assessment.

Be older than 18 years old

Must not have

Inability to follow directions for baseline tasks.

Stroke/other premorbid neurological disorder affecting the brain.

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention

Summary

This trial is testing whether using transcranial direct current stimulation in combination with language therapy can help improve language abilities in people with primary progressive aphasia.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for right-handed English speakers with at least a 9th grade education, diagnosed with non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) or unclassifiable PPA. Participants must be able to follow directions and not have severe language impairment, other neurological disorders, other language-based learning disorders, or uncorrected visual/hearing impairments.

What is being tested?

The study tests if brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when combined with speech-language therapy, helps people with nfvPPA speak better than just therapy alone. It looks at immediate improvements in language performance and checks if these benefits last up to two months after treatment.

What are the potential side effects?

While the document does not specify side effects of tDCS directly, common ones can include mild tingling, itching or discomfort at the electrode sites on the scalp during stimulation. Serious side effects are rare.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

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I have been diagnosed with a specific type of language disorder based on tests and MRI.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

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I can follow directions for basic tasks.

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I have had a stroke or another brain disorder before.

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I have a language-based learning disorder, but it's not PPA.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Change in segmental duration of consonants of trained words

Change in segmental duration of consonants of untrained words

Change in segmental duration of vowels of trained words

+3 more

Secondary study objectives

Change in anisotropy of white matter tracts of select brain regions

Change in digit span backward score

Change in digit span forward score

+9 more

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Placebo Group

Group I: Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy firstExperimental Treatment2 Interventions

Active tDCS will be applied at the beginning of 45 minutes speech-language therapy session and then participant will be switched to sham tDCS after a washout period.

Group II: Sham plus Speech-Language Therapy firstPlacebo Group2 Interventions

Sham will be applied at the beginning of 45 minutes speech-language therapy session and then participant will be switched to an active tDCS after a washout period.

Treatment

First Studied

Drug Approval Stage

How many patients have taken this drug

Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy

2018

N/A

~10

Sham plus Speech-Language Therapy

2013

N/A

~70