Speech-Language Treatment With Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Primary Progressive Aphasia

Part of paid clinical trials in San Francisco, California.

Sponsor
University of Texas at Austin
Study ID
NCT05901233
Status
Enrolling By Invitation

Conditions

  • Primary Progressive Aphasia

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
N/A - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Remotely supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (RS-tDCS) — DEVICE
    tDCS is a type of non-invasive brain stimulation. 1.5 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered via electrodes in saline-soaked sponges placed on the left side of the head and right upper arm. The stimulation will be delivered for 20 minutes, 5 times weekly, in the participant's home setting while the participant engages in computer-delivered speech-language training. Sessions are monitored by study personnel.
  • Remotely supervised sham tDCS (RS-sham-tDCS) — DEVICE
    tDCS is a type of non-invasive brain stimulation. During sham stimulation 1.5 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered for a brief period and then turned off. Current will be delivered via electrodes in saline-soaked sponges placed on the left side of the head and right upper arm. Sham will be delivered for 20 minutes, 5 times weekly, in the participant's home setting while the participant engages in computer-delivered speech-language training. Sessions are monitored by study personnel.
  • Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT) — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants work on producing spoken and written names of personally relevant target items using a self-cueing hierarchy. Treatment focuses on the use of strategies that capitalize on spared cognitive-linguistic abilities to support word retrieval. The participant completes two (one hour each) teletherapy sessions per week with a clinician plus 30 minutes of additional independent, computer-based practice exercises 3 times per week.
  • Video Implemented Script Training in Aphasia (VISTA) — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants work on producing personally relevant scripts of 4-6 sentences in length. Length and complexity of scripts are individually tailored. The participant completes two (one hour each) teletherapy sessions per week with a clinician targeting clear and accurate script production, script memorization, and conversational usage of scripts. The participant completes 30 minutes of independent, computer-based practice 3 times per week, during which they speak in unison with a video/audio model of a healthy speaker clearly articulating the scripts.

Study Details

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a disorder characterized by gradual decline in speech-language ability caused by underlying neurodegenerative disease. PPA is a devastating condition that can affect adults as young as their 50's, depriving them of the ability to communicate and function in society. Along with Alzheimer's Disease and other Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD), PPA is now identified earlier and with greater precision. Increasingly, patients and families seek options for behavioral and neuromodulatory treatments to address PPA's devastating effects on communication, prolong speech-language skills, and maximize quality of life. Studies have documented the robust benefits of speech-language telerehabilitation methods for persons with PPA, with in-home treatment resulting in immediate and long-term benefits. This investigation aims to further enhance the potency of these treatment approaches by pairing them with tailored neuromodulatory intervention that targets critical brain networks supporting treatment in each clinical subtype of PPA. The study will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary benefit of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with evidence-based speech-language telerehabilitation methods. tDCS will be delivered to patients in their own homes and site of stimulation will be tailored for each clinical subtype of PPA. This project has the potential to enhance clinical management and rehabilitation for individuals with PPA by establishing the benefit of behavioral and neuromodulatory treatment that is neurobiologically-motivated and accessible for patients and families.

Key Dates

Start date
Jul 10, 2023
Status verified
Oct 2025
Primary completion
Aug 30, 2026
Completion
Sep 30, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: RS-LRT
  • Experimental: RS-VISTA

Primary Outcome Measure

RS-LRT arm: Change in spoken naming [ Time Frame: change from pre-treatment to one month and three months after onset of treatment in each phase (stimulation and sham) ]

Locations (2)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCalifornia94158-
University of TexasAustinTexas78712-

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By research site
Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco· San Francisco, CAUniversity of Texas· Austin, TX

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