Speech-Language Treatment With Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Primary Progressive Aphasia

Enrolling by invitation · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Primary Progressive Aphasia

In brief

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a disorder characterized by gradual decline in speech-language ability caused by underlying neurodegenerative disease. PPA is a devastating condition that can affect adults as young as their 50's, depriving them of the ability to communicate and function in society. Along with Alzheimer's Disease and other Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD), PPA is now identified earlier and with greater precision. Increasingly, patients and families seek options for behavioral and neuromodulatory treatments to address PPA's devastating effects on communication, prolong speech-language skills, and maximize quality of life. Studies have documented the robust benefits of speech-language telerehabilitation methods for persons with PPA, with in-home treatment resulting in immediate and long-term benefits. This investigation aims to further enhance the potency of these treatment approaches by pairing them with tailored neuromodulatory intervention that targets critical brain networks supporting treatment in each clinical subtype of PPA. The study will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary benefit of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with evidence-based speech-language telerehabilitation methods. tDCS will be delivered to patients in their own homes and site of stimulation will be tailored for each clinical subtype of PPA. This project has the potential to enhance clinical management and rehabilitation for individuals with PPA by establishing the benefit of behavioral and neuromodulatory treatment that is neurobiologically-motivated and accessible for patients and families.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05901233

Run by

University of Texas at Austin

People needed

10

Starts

2023-07-10

Expected to finish

2026-09-30

Last updated by the study team

2025-10-08

Who can join

Age: any. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Meets diagnostic criteria for PPA
• Meets diagnostic criteria for a specific variant of 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 weekly teleconference meetings
• Able and willing to undergo MRI brain scan
• Access to high speed internet

You may not qualify if…

• Speech and language deficits better accounted for by another neurological disorder
• Does not meet diagnostic criteria for a specific variant of 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

Where it is running

• Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, California, United States
• University of Texas — Austin, Texas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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