The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of treatment for specific language deficits in people with aphasia. In addition to language and cognitive measures, changes in brain function will also be gathered before and after the treatment is administered in order to track any changes resulting from receiving treatment.
Naming Impairments (Anomia): The labs of Dr. Swathi Kiran (Boston University) and Dr. David Caplan (Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital) will be studying language recovery in adults with anomia (naming impairments) following a stroke. Participants will receive treatment focusing on the semantic features of common objects (e.g., that birds can fly). The study will examine how naming and other language abilities change in response to treatment, as well as how the brain changes, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other techniques. Spelling/Writing Impairments (Dysgraphia): At Johns Hopkins University, the lab of Dr. Brenda Rapp will investigate the neurobiology of language recovery in individuals with dysgraphia (spelling/writing impairments) resulting from a stroke. In this study, treatment will focus on improving spelling ability. The study will examine how spelling and other language abilities change in response to treatment, as well as how the brain changes, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other techniques. Deficits in Sentence Comprehension \& Production: Dr. Cynthia Thompson's lab at Northwestern University will investigate language recovery in individuals with deficits in sentence production and comprehension. Treatment focuses on production and comprehension of complex sentences. At baseline (week 0) and after the treatment period (at week 12), participants take part in language, eye-tracking, and MRI testing, in order to learn how the processing of language, as well as brain function, changes as a result of treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
Treatment will be administered from week 0 until week 12.
Treatment will be administered from week 0 until week 12.
Treatment will be administered from week 0 until week 12.
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Change in language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment
Standard and non-standard measures of language and cognitive abilities will be gathered at baseline (week 0) to see if language deficits improve after treatment is administered (week 12).
Time frame: week 0 to week 12
Composite change in brain function as a result of treatment
Neural correlates of treatment effects will be examined using: * Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) * Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) * Perfusion Imaging * Functional Connectivity * Rest state Connectivity
Time frame: week 0 to week 12
Maintenance of language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment
Standard and non-standard measures of language and cognitive abilities administered at week 12 will be compared to those administered at week 24 to see if improvement in language abilities as a result of treatment is maintained.
Time frame: week 12 to week 24
Maintenance of composite changes in brain function as a result of treatment
Neural correlates of treatment effects that are maintained for 12 weeks after treatment ends (week 12 to week 24) will be examined using: * Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) * Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) * Perfusion Imaging * Functional Connectivity * Rest state Connectivity
Time frame: week 12 to week 24
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90
No treatment will be administered.