Overcoming Learned Non-Use in Chronic Aphasia

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Stroke-induced Aphasia

In brief

In this study the investigators are examining the effectiveness of intensive speech therapy in chronic moderate-to-severe stroke-induced aphasia under two conditions - responses "constrained" or unconstrained to speech. Both treatments involve massed practice communicating, using intensive language action therapy 3 hours/day, 5 days/week for two weeks, followed by six months of a home practice program. One treatment stresses spoken responses as the preferred expressive modality during intensive therapy. Before and after treatment, and following the home practice program and a period of no practice, the investigators will administer several tests and discourse samples to examine changes associated with the treatments. Participants will also undergo structural and functional MRI testing at these time points. The investigators will also attempt to quantify the degree to which improvements following intensive language therapy and home practice correlate with changes in Quality of Life measures as perceived by both participants with aphasia and their significant others. It is hypothesized that, whereas both treatments will lead to improvements in naming practiced words and communicating, outcomes will be enhanced for the group randomly assigned to the "constraint" condition. Moreover, performance will be enhanced on words practiced during the home practice program, including those that were not practiced during intensive therapy. Improved naming will correlate with modulation of 'signature' language and attentional networks, whose variability will depend on remaining viable brain structures. Initial severity and site/extent of lesion should predict patients' ability to transfer gains in naming to improvements in discourse.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02012374

Run by

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

People needed

24

Starts

2012-02-26

Expected to finish

2015-07-09

Last updated by the study team

2022-12-20

Who can join

Age: 21 and older, up to 90. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• unilateral left hemisphere stroke at least 6 months earlier
• aphasia with moderate-to-severe word retrieval impairments
• at least 21 years of age
• premorbidly right handed
• native speaker of English

You may not qualify if…

• history of developmental learning difficulties
• history of prior neurological illnesses
• chronic medical illnesses that restrict participation in intensive therapy
• recent alcohol or drug dependence
• severe uncorrected impairments of vision or hearing
• any contraindication to a 3T MRI procedure (e.g., claustrophobia, metal implants or fragments in body, pregnancy)

Where it is running

• University of Massachusetts Amherst — Amherst, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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