Multicomponent Lexical Retrieval Training (Multi-LRT) for Semantic Dementia

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a progressive neurological disorder that causes a gradual decline in communication ability as a result of selective neurodegeneration of speech and language networks in the brain. PPA is a devastating condition affecting adults as young as in their 50's, depriving them of the ability to communicate and function in society. As a result of improved diagnostic precision, PPA is now identified with greater accuracy and frequency and, increasingly, patients and their families seek options for behavioral treatments to ameliorate the devastating effects on their communication, prolong speech language skills, and maximize quality of life. Speech-language treatment outcomes from our group and others are encouraging, confirming that behavioral intervention may lead to improvements in trained behaviors and, for some interventions, lasting and generalized benefit. Most speech-language interventions for individuals with PPA that have been explored in the literature are restitutive, or impairment-based in nature, and have not addressed the full range of severity and phenotypic variability in this population. The investigators will evaluate the utility of a novel, multicomponent intervention that incorporates elements of restitutive (e.g., word finding strategic training, script training), compensatory (e.g., multimodal communication, communication book), and care partner-focused treatment to meet the needs of individuals varying in clinical presentation and severity.