Predicting Rehabilitation Outcomes in Bilingual Aphasia Using Computational Modeling

NCT02916524 | Unknown DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 4492EU01DC014922-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 48
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

The purpose of this investigation is to implement a computational model that can predict and optimize training and cross-language generalization patterns for bilingual persons with aphasia (BPA). The proposed work will determine the best possible treatment program for each individual patient even before they are rehabilitated. In addition, the computational model allows specification of variables such as age of acquisition, language exposure/proficiency, impairment and their systematic influence on a range of language rehabilitation outcomes.

Conditions

Aphasia

Keywords

Aphasia; Bilingualism; Language therapy; Rehabilitation of speech and language disorders; Speech-language pathology

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Word Retrieval Accuracy in both languages

  Accuracy of naming of pictured treated and untreated items in both languages will be assessed in probes conducted separate from treatment. Probes were conducted repeatedly throughout the study, from baseline (prior to treatment) to the end of treatment. All naming responses were scored using as correct or incorrect. A percentage accuracy was calculated for each set of items for every probe session. Baseline probe scores were compared to end of treatment probe scores to obtain individual effect sizes for each sets of items for each participant (i.e., several effect sizes were calculated for each participant).

  Through study completion, an average of 10 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• Psycholinguistic assessments of language processing in aphasia (PALPA) in both languages

  Week 1 and up to 10 weeks

• Boston Naming Test (BNT) in both languages

  Week 1 and up to 10 weeks

• Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT) B and C in both languages

  Week 1 and up to 10 weeks

• Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) in both languages

  Week 1 and up to 10 weeks

• Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT) in both languages

  Week 1 and up to 10 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Model-based

EXPERIMENTAL

Semantic Feature Analysis training will be provided in the language that was selected by the computational model.

Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA)

Model-opposite

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Semantic Feature Analysis training will be provided in the language opposite to that which was selected by the computational model.

Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA)

Sub-Study: Computational Modeling for Bilingual Dementia and Semantic Decline

NO INTERVENTION

This is a sub-study aimed at building a computational model to simulate bilingual dementia and semantic decline.

Interventions

Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) BEHAVIORAL

SFA training entails having the speech-language pathologist (SLP) guide the participant through generation of pertinent semantic features for pictured treatment items (e.g., category membership, physical description, location of item in context, action associated with item). Treatment is applied to a set of items in the context of single-subject, multiple baseline designs so that replication of treatment effects could be evaluated within and across participants. Treatment will be administered two times per week until prescribed accuracy levels were met during treatment probes or a maximum number of treatment sessions was completed.

Model-based; Model-opposite

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Any number of years of education
• Bilingual: speaking both Spanish and English (or Chinese and English) with any degree of language proficiency prior to stroke
• Aphasia secondary to a left-hemisphere stroke (diagnosed by a neurologist on the basis of clinical CT/MRI imaging or medical reports)
• Aphasia resulting from stroke or dementia
• Naming deficits must be present with concurrent lexical/semantic impairment
• Visual and auditory acuity sufficient for all assessment and treatment procedures
• Ability to understand study and follow study procedures for the entire length of the study

You may not qualify if:

• Premorbid history of speech/language disorder
• Proficient in more than just Spanish and English (or Chinese and English)
• Overt, behaviorally noticeable, attentional limitations that interfere with completing the experimental tasks
• Active medical disease that may compromise participation (e.g., cancer undergoing acute treatment, unstable diabetes, renal or hepatic insufficiency, fluctuating systemic immunological disease such as systemic lupus erythematosis, etc.)
• Currently taking medications that are known to exert significant effects on cognitive processes, such as neuroleptics, steroids, anticholinesterase inhibitors, etc.
• Current drug or alcohol use or dependence that would interfere with adherence to study requirements, in the opinion of the principal investigator
• Inability or unwillingness of individual to give written informed consent
• Diagnosed with mental illness other than active depression
• Neurological condition other than that which resulted in aphasia

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Boston University Charles River Campus: lead
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): collaborator

Study Sites (3)

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California, 94132, United States

RECRUITING

Boston University Sargent College

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

RECRUITING

Austin Speech Labs

Austin, Texas, 78757, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (2)

• Russell-Meill M, Carpenter E, Marte MJ, Scimeca M, Penaloza C, Kiran S. Measurement of cross-language and cross-domain generalization following semantic feature-based anomia treatment in bilingual aphasia. Neuropsychol Rehabil. 2025 Jun 26:1-27. doi: 10.1080/09602011.2025.2522196. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 40571559 DERIVED

• Penaloza C, Dekhtyar M, Scimeca M, Carpenter E, Mukadam N, Kiran S. Predicting treatment outcomes for bilinguals with aphasia using computational modeling: Study protocol for the PROCoM randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2020 Nov 18;10(11):e040495. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040495.

  PMID: 33208330 DERIVED

Related Links

• Aphasia Research Laboratory website

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aphasia; Language Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Speech Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Swathi Kiran, PhD

  Boston University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Nishaat Mukadam, MA

CONTACT

617-353-2706; mukadamn@bu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 16, 2016
• First Posted: September 27, 2016
• Study Start: April 20, 2018
• Primary Completion: July 31, 2021
• Study Completion: July 31, 2023
• Last Updated: April 19, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (3)