Remotely-supervised Neuromodulation in PPA

Part of paid clinical trials in San Francisco, California.

Sponsor
Maya Henry
Study ID
NCT07260253
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Logopenic Progressive Aphasia (LPA)
  • Logopenic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia
  • Logopenic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (LPA)
  • Primary Progressive Aphasia(PPA)
  • Progressive Aphasia
  • Progressive Aphasia in Alzheimer's Disease

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
40 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Lexical Retrieval Cascade Treatment — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants work on producing spoken and written names of personally-relevant target items. 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.
  • Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation- Active — DEVICE
    tDCS is a type of non-invasive brain stimulation. 2.0 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered via electrodes in saline-soaked sponges placed on the left and right sides of the head. The stimulation will last 20 minutes and will occur 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 Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation - Sham — DEVICE
    tDCS is a type of non-invasive brain stimulation. 2.0 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered via electrodes in saline-soaked sponges placed on the left and right sides of the head. In sham stimulation, current will be delivered for a brief period of time and then turned off. Sham stimulation will last 20 minutes and will occur 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.

Study Details

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether home-based brain stimulation combined with virtual speech-language therapy can improve communication abilities in adults with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA), a language disorder most often caused by Alzheimer's disease. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Is combining remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with virtual speech-language therapy feasible and acceptable for people with lvPPA? * Does this combined treatment lead to improvements in communication compared to speech-language therapy with sham (placebo) stimulation? * Do individual brain characteristics help predict who benefits most from this treatment? Researchers will compare participants who receive active tDCS plus virtual speech-language therapy to participants who receive sham (placebo) tDCS plus virtual speech-language therapy to see if active brain stimulation enhances communication outcomes. Participants will: * Complete speech-language therapy sessions delivered by video visit. * Receive either active or sham tDCS that is remotely supervised and completed at home. * Complete language and cognitive testing before and after treatment. * Undergo brain imaging and other assessments to help understand treatment response.

Key Dates

Start date
Apr 15, 2026
Status verified
Apr 2026
Primary completion
May 31, 2029
Completion
Aug 31, 2029

Study Design

Enrollment
80 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Language Therapy with Active Stimulation
    Participants will receive virtual language therapy in conjunction with active remotely-supervised transcranial direct current stimulation.
  • Sham Comparator: Language Therapy with Sham Stimulation
    Participants will receive virtual language therapy in conjunction with sham remotely-supervised transcranial direct current stimulation.

Primary Outcome Measure

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) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (2)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
UCSF Memory and Aging CenerSan FranciscoCalifornia94158
Willa Keegan-Rodewald, M.A.
[email protected]
Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini, MD, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
University of TexasAustinTexas78712
Aphasia Lab Research Coordinator, MS
[email protected]
512-471-3420
Maya L Henry, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

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By research site
UCSF Memory and Aging Cener· San Francisco, CAUniversity of Texas· Austin, TX

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