Investigating the Benefits of Remotely-Supervised Neuromodulation In Primary Progressive Aphasia

Status: Recruiting
Location: See all (2) locations...
Intervention Type: Device, Behavioral
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether remotely-supervised transcranial direct-current stimulation (RS-tDCS) can improve speech and language treatments for individuals with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA). tDCS is a form of brain stimulation where a low-level electrical current is delivered to the brain through electrodes placed on the head. The main questions the trial aims to answer are: * Is it feasible to do RS-tDCS with virtual speech therapy? * How can brain magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRIs) predict how well someone will benefit from RS-tDCS with virtual speech therapy? Researchers will compare active RS-tDCS stimulation to sham stimulation (where there is no active stimulation, but participants feel stimulation effects at the beginning and end of the session). Participants will: * Travel to either the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) or the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) one time for in-person testing, an MRI scan, and training on how to use the RS-tDCS equipment * Meet with a speech-language pathologist for pre-treatment testing on Zoom for 2 weeks * Participate in speech-language therapy and independent practice on Zoom 5 days a week for 4 weeks, using either active tDCS stimulation or sham * Complete post-treatment testing on Zoom for 1-2 weeks * Complete follow-up testing 2 months after completion of treatment

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 40
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Meets diagnostic criteria for primary progressive aphasia (PPA)

• Meets diagnostic criteria for logopenic variant PPA

• Score of 20 or higher on the Mini-Mental State Examination

• Adequate hearing and vision (with hearing or vision aids, if needed)

• Has a study partner that can co-enroll in the study and attend pre-treatment training as well as continue to be present for teleconference meetings, as needed

• Able and willing to undergo MRI brain scan

• Access to high speed internet and basic experience using a computer and the internet

• Individuals should be fluent speakers of English

Locations
United States
California
UCSF Memory and Aging Cener
RECRUITING
San Francisco
Texas
University of Texas
RECRUITING
Austin
Contact Information
Primary
Aphasia Lab Research Coordinator
aphasialab@austin.utexas.edu
512-471-3420
Time Frame
Start Date: 2026-01
Estimated Completion Date: 2029-08
Participants
Target number of participants: 80
Treatments
Experimental: Language Therapy with Active Stimulation
Transcranial direct current stimulation (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 and right sides of the head. The stimulation will be delivered for 20 minutes, 5 times weekly, in the participant's home setting while the participant engages in virtual speech-language training. Sessions are monitored by study personnel.
Sham_comparator: Language Therapy with Sham Stimulation
Transcranial direct current stimulation (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 and right sides of the head. Sham will be delivered for 20 minutes, 5 times weekly, in the participant's home setting while the participant engages in virtual speech-language training. Sessions are monitored by study personnel.
Sponsors
Collaborators: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Leads: University of Texas at Austin

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov