Neurobiology of Language Recovery in Aphasia: Natural History and Treatment-Induced Recovery
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01927302 |
Recruitment Status
:
Active, not recruiting
First Posted
: August 22, 2013
Last Update Posted
: December 15, 2017
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Aphasia Dysgraphia Anomia Agrammatism Stroke | Behavioral: Treatment Focusing on Naming Objects Behavioral: Treatment Focusing on Improving Spelling Abilities Behavioral: Treatment Focusing on Improving Sentence Processing Behavioral: No Treatment | Not Applicable |
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 (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 90 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | The Center for the Neurobiology of Language Recovery (CNLR) |
Study Start Date : | April 2013 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | March 2018 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | March 2019 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Naming Deficits
Language treatment will focus on improving naming deficits in people who have aphasia. An experimental group will receive treatment focusing on naming objects and a control/natural history group will receive no treatment. Both groups will be assessed at baseline (week 0), at week 12, and at week 24.
|
Behavioral: Treatment Focusing on Naming Objects
Treatment will be administered from week 0 until week 12.
Other Name: Language treatment
Behavioral: No Treatment
No treatment will be administered.
|
Experimental: Spelling and/or Writing Deficits
Language treatment will focus on improving writing and/or spelling deficits in people who have aphasia. An experimental group will receive treatment focusing on improving spelling abilities and a control/natural history group will receive no treatment. Both groups will be assessed at baseline (week 0), at week 12, and at week 24.
|
Behavioral: Treatment Focusing on Improving Spelling Abilities
Treatment will be administered from week 0 until week 12.
Other Name: Language Treatment
Behavioral: No Treatment
No treatment will be administered.
|
Experimental: Sentence Processing
Language treatment will focus on improving sentence comprehension and production deficits in people who have aphasia. An experimental group will receive treatment focusing on improving sentence processing and a control/natural history group will receive no treatment. Both groups will be assessed at baseline (week 0), at week 12, and at week 24.
|
Behavioral: Treatment Focusing on Improving Sentence Processing
Treatment will be administered from week 0 until week 12.
Other Name: Language Treatment
Behavioral: No Treatment
No treatment will be administered.
|
- Change in language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment [ Time Frame: week 0 to week 12 ]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).
- Composite change in brain function as a result of treatment [ Time Frame: week 0 to week 12 ]
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
- Maintenance of language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment [ Time Frame: week 12 to week 24 ]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.
- Maintenance of composite changes in brain function as a result of treatment [ Time Frame: week 12 to week 24 ]
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

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 35 Years to 80 Years (Adult, Senior) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Aphasia following a stroke
- Stoke was at least 1 year ago
- Medically stable
- Right-handed
- Normal or 'corrected to normal' vision and hearing
- English as primary language
- At least a high school education
Exclusion Criteria:
- History of neurological disease, head trauma, psychiatric disorders, alcoholism, or developmental speech, language, or learning disabilities

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01927302
United States, Illinois | |
Northwestern University | |
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60208 | |
United States, Maryland | |
Johns Hopkins University | |
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21218 | |
United States, Massachusetts | |
Boston University | |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215 | |
Harvard University | |
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, 02138 |
Study Director: | Cynthia K Thompson, PhD | Northwestern University | |
Principal Investigator: | David Caplan, MDCM, PhD | Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital | |
Principal Investigator: | Brenda Rapp, PhD | Johns Hopkins University | |
Principal Investigator: | Swathi Kiran, PhD, CCC-SLP | Boston University | |
Principal Investigator: | Todd B Parrish, PhD | Northwestern University |
Additional Information:
Responsible Party: | Cynthia K Thompson, Ralph and Jean Sundin Professor of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01927302 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
P50 P50DC012283 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | August 22, 2013 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | December 15, 2017 |
Last Verified: | December 2017 |
Keywords provided by Cynthia K Thompson, Northwestern University:
Aphasia Dysgraphia Anomia Agrammatism |
Stroke Language Recovery Treatment Biomarkers of Recovery |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Speech Disorders Aphasia Anomia Agraphia Aphasia, Broca Language Disorders |
Communication Disorders Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Nervous System Diseases Signs and Symptoms |