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Remotely-supervised Neuromodulation in PPA

NCT07260253 · University of Texas at Austin
In plain English

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Official title
Investigating the Benefits of Remotely-Supervised Neuromodulation In Primary Progressive Aphasia
About this study
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 criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 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 Exclusion Criteria: * Speech and language deficits better accounted for by another neurological disorder * 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
Study design
Enrollment target: 80 participants
Allocation: randomized
Masking: quadruple
Age groups: adult, older_adult
Timeline
Starts: 2026-01
Estimated completion: 2029-08
Last updated: 2025-12-18
Interventions
Behavioral: Lexical Retrieval Cascade TreatmentDevice: Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Primary outcomes
  • Change in spoken naming (change from pre-treatment to one month and three months after onset of treatment in each phase (stimulation and sham))
Sponsor
University of Texas at Austin · other
With: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Contacts & investigators
ContactAphasia Lab Research Coordinator · contact · aphasialab@austin.utexas.edu · 512-471-3420
InvestigatorMaya L Henry, PhD · principal_investigator, University of Texas at Austin
All locations (2)
UCSF Memory and Aging CenerRecruiting
San Francisco, California, United States
University of TexasRecruiting
Austin, Texas, United States