Primary Progressive Aphasia Multicomponent Language Treatment Study

NCT06649084 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: R56DC016291
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 21
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a speech-language telerehabilitation helps improve communication in people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a form of dementia that affects speech and language. The study will also document how acceptable and helpful the program is for both patients and their care partners. The main questions the study aims to answer are:

• Take part in online speech-language therapy sessions
• Complete communication tasks and questionnaires before and after the program
• Have regular virtual check-ins with the research team
• Include their care partners in some parts of the program for training and support

Conditions

Primary Progressive Aphasia; Semantic Dementia; Semantic Memory Disorder; Logopenic Progressive Aphasia; Nonfluent Aphasia, Progressive; Aphasia; Aphasia, Progressive

Keywords

Speech-Language Pathology; Neurodegenerative Disease; Logopenic; Semantic; Nonfluent; Speech Entrainment; Telethearpy; Multimodal Communication Training; Partner Training; Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Script training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change in script production accuracy

  Percent correct intelligible, scripted words for trained/untrained scripts

  change from pre-treatment to post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset) and follow-ups at 3 months post-treatment

• Change in spoken naming of trained/untrained items

  Percent correctly named trained/untrained pictures

  change from pre-treatment to post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset) and follow-ups at 3 months post-treatment

• Information communicated in any modality for trained/untrained stimuli

  Percent of major content units (key words) communicated via speech or nonspeech modalities (e.g., writing, drawing, gesture) for trained/untrained scripts (Multi-VISTA) or words (Multi-LRT) during structured probes and in conversation

  change from pre-treatment to post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset) and follow-ups at 3 months post-treatment

• Goal Attainment Score

  The Goal Attainment Score is self-reported progress on personalized goals based on a five point scale.

  change from pre-treatment to post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset) and follow-ups at 3 months post-treatment

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change on Quick Aphasia Battery

  change from pre-treatment to post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset) and follow-ups at 3 months post-treatment

• Change on Aphasia Impact Questionnaire

  change from pre-treatment to post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset) and follow-ups at 3 months post-treatment

Other Outcomes (1)

• Post-treatment Communication Survey

  post-treatment (approximately 6-12 weeks after treatment onset)

Study Arms (3)

Multicomponent Lexical Retrieval Training (Multi-LRT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Multicomponent Lexical Retrieval Training (Multi-LRT)

Multicomponent Video Implemented Script Training in Aphasia (Multi-VISTA)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Multicomponent Video Implemented Script Training in Aphasia (Multi-VISTA)

Experimental: Multicomponent Communicaiton Partner Training (Multi-CPT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Multicomponent Communication Partner Training (Multi-CPT)

Interventions

Multicomponent Lexical Retrieval Training (Multi-LRT) BEHAVIORAL

In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of restitutive, compensatory, and care-partner focused interventions. Participants work on producing names of personally relevant target in multiple communication modalities. Treatment focuses on the use of strategies which capitalize on residual linguistic ability and autobiographical memory to support word retrieval. The participant completes two one-hour-long sessions per week plus daily homework. The participant also meets 4 times during the course of treatment with a study partner (e.g., spouse) for communication counseling, education, and practice of communication strategies.

Multicomponent Lexical Retrieval Training (Multi-LRT)

Multicomponent Video Implemented Script Training in Aphasia (Multi-VISTA) BEHAVIORAL

In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of restitutive, compensatory, and care-partner focused interventions. Participants work on producing personally relevant scripts of 3-5 sentences in length. Length and complexity of scripts are individually tailored. The participant completes 30 minutes per day of home practice, during which they speak in unison with a video/audio model of a healthy speaker clearly articulating the scripts. Biweekly (one hour each) sessions with a clinician are held which target clear and accurate script production, script memorization, and conversational usage of the script and multimodal communication. The participant also meets 6 times during the course of treatment with a study partner (e.g., spouse) for communication counseling, education, and practice of communication strategies.

Multicomponent Video Implemented Script Training in Aphasia (Multi-VISTA)

Multicomponent Communication Partner Training (Multi-CPT) BEHAVIORAL

In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of compensatory and care-partner focused interventions. Biweekly (one hour each) sessions with a clinician are held which target use of communication strategies including multimodal communication for the participant and study partner (e.g., spouse). The participant also completes regular assignments meant to increase generalization of communication strategies and progress on personal goals.

Experimental: Multicomponent Communicaiton Partner Training (Multi-CPT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Meets diagnostic criteria for Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA; Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011)
• Scores of 10 or higher on the Mini-Mental State Examination
• Has a study partner who can consistently attend sessions

You may not qualify if:

• Other neurological or psychiatric diagnosis that may contribute to cognitive-linguistic deficits
• Significant, uncorrected visual or hearing impairment that would interfere with participation
• Score of less than 10 on the Mini-Mental State Examination
• Prominent initial non-speech-language impairment (cognitive, behavioral, motoric)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Texas at Austin: lead
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Texas

Austin, Texas, 78712, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aphasia, Primary Progressive; Frontotemporal Dementia; Memory Disorders; Primary Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia; Aphasia; Neurodegenerative Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Dementia; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Speech Disorders; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration; TDP-43 Proteinopathies; Proteostasis Deficiencies; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Study Officials

• Maya L Henry, PhD

  University of Texas at Austin

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2024
• First Posted: October 18, 2024
• Study Start: May 2, 2023
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2025
• Study Completion: December 31, 2025
• Last Updated: October 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)