Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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RECRUITING
NA
80 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2026-01-31
2029-08-31
Brief Summary
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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
Detailed Description
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Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
TREATMENT
QUADRUPLE
Study Groups
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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.
Lexical Retrieval Cascade Treatment
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.
Remotely Supervised 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. During sham stimulation 1.5 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered for a brief period and then turned off. 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.
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.
Lexical Retrieval Cascade Treatment
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.
Remotely Supervised 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. During sham stimulation 1.5 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered for a brief period and then turned off. 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.
Interventions
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Lexical Retrieval Cascade Treatment
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.
Remotely Supervised 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. During sham stimulation 1.5 milliamp (mA) of current will be delivered for a brief period and then turned off. 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.
Other Intervention Names
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* 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
Exclusion Criteria
* Does not meet diagnostic criteria for logopenic variant PPA
* Score of less than 20 on the Mini-Mental State Examination
* Does not have a study partner who can co-enroll in the study
* Contraindications for tDCS or MRI scan (History of seizures, head injury, craniotomy, skull surgery or fracture; History of severe or frequent migraines; Metallic implant in head or any metal in head; Pacemaker or cardioverter-defibrillator or any other stimulator; Chronic skin problems; Pregnancy)
* History of stroke, epilepsy, or significant brain injury
40 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
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National Institute on Aging (NIA)
NIH
University of Texas at Austin
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Maya L Henry, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Texas at Austin
Locations
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UCSF Memory and Aging Cener
San Francisco, California, United States
University of Texas
Austin, Texas, United States
Countries
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Central Contacts
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Facility Contacts
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Willa Keegan-Rodewald, M.A.
Role: primary
Aphasia Lab Research Coordinator, MS
Role: primary
References
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Dial HR, Hinshelwood HA, Grasso SM, Hubbard HI, Gorno-Tempini ML, Henry ML. Investigating the utility of teletherapy in individuals with primary progressive aphasia. Clin Interv Aging. 2019 Feb 25;14:453-471. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S178878. eCollection 2019.
Henry ML, Hubbard HI, Grasso SM, Dial HR, Beeson PM, Miller BL, Gorno-Tempini ML. Treatment for Word Retrieval in Semantic and Logopenic Variants of Primary Progressive Aphasia: Immediate and Long-Term Outcomes. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2019 Aug 15;62(8):2723-2749. doi: 10.1044/2018_JSLHR-L-18-0144. Epub 2019 Aug 7.
Related Links
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University of Texas Aphasia Research and Treatment Lab