Melodic-Intonation-Therapy and Speech-Repetition-Therapy for Patients With Non-fluent Aphasia

Completed · Phase 3

Conditions studied: Aphasia, Stroke, Cerebrovascular Accident, Apoplexy, Cerebral Infarction

In brief

We are doing this clinical trial in order to evaluate two different treatments for non-fluent aphasia: Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) and Speech Repetition Therapy (SRT). MIT uses a simple form of singing, while SRT uses intensive repetition of a set of words and phrases. We want to see which intensive form of treatment is more effective in leading to an improvement in speech output compared to a no-therapy control period, and whether either treatment can cause changes in brain activity during speaking and changes in brain structure. We will use a technique known as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to measure blood flow changes in the brain and structural MRI that assess brain anatomy and connections between brain regions. We will use fMRI to assess brain activity while a patient speaks, sings, and hums. We will assess changes in brain activity and in brain structure by comparing scans done prior to treatment to scans obtained after treatment and we will also examine changes between treatment groups. We will correlate changes in brain activity and brain structure with changes in language test scores.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00903266

Run by

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

People needed

30

Starts

2008-02-01

Expected to finish

2020-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2020-09-21

Who can join

Age: 21 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• 21-80 years of age
• first-time ischemic left-hemispheric stroke or cerebrovascular accident
• at least 12 months out from first ischemic stroke
• right-handed (prior to stroke)
• diagnosis of non-fluent or dysfluent aphasia

You may not qualify if…

• older than 80 years of age
• more than 1 stroke
• presence of metal or metallic or electronic devices that cannot be exposed to the MRI environment
• a terminal medical condition; history of major neurological or psychiatric diseases (e.g. epilepsy; meningitis, encephalitis)
• use of psychoactive drugs/medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotic, stimulants
• active participation in other stroke recovery trials testing experimental interventions

Where it is running

• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School — Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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