Improving reading skills in stroke survivors with aphasia through exercise and targeted treatment
Official title: Improving Reading Competence in Aphasia with Combined Aerobic Exercise and Phono-Motor Treatment
Funded at Kessler Foundation, INC. · NIH-11046682 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how doing aerobic exercise along with a special reading program can help stroke survivors with aphasia improve their reading skills, making it easier for them to get back to their daily activities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kessler Foundation, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Hanover, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $423,572 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC021063-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11046682 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced a stroke and are currently living with aphasia, particularly those with reading deficits.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had a stroke or do not have aphasia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how combining aerobic exercise with a specialized reading treatment can help stroke survivors with aphasia improve their reading abilities. The approach focuses on enhancing blood flow in the brain and promoting neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize itself. Participants will engage in aerobic exercise before receiving phonological reading therapy, aiming to strengthen the brain networks involved in language processing. The study addresses the significant reading deficits that many stroke survivors face, which can severely impact their daily lives.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved reading competence and overall communication abilities for stroke survivors with aphasia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in using aerobic exercise to enhance cognitive functions and recovery in stroke patients, suggesting that this combined approach may also be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Kessler Foundation, INC.
East Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boukrina, Olga — Kessler Foundation, INC.
- Study coordinator: Boukrina, Olga
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Aerobic exercise plus targeted speech exercises to improve reading after stroke
Short bouts of aerobic exercise done before focused speech-based reading work may help people with post-stroke aphasia read more accurately and regain independence.
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Communication Bridge: Improving language therapy for people with primary progressive aphasia
A proven language-therapy program called Communication Bridge helps people with primary progressive aphasia improve and maintain how they communicate with others.
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Neural signals linked to recovery from aphasia after stroke
This grant follows people who recently had a stroke and aphasia to understand why some recover language abilities better than others.
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Aerobic exercise to boost stroke rehabilitation outcomes with a VR game
A VA-based study tests whether an aerobic workout before a hand-rehabilitation game can improve recovery after stroke for veterans.
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Bilingualism and language resilience in Hispanic people with primary progressive aphasia
Researchers compare different bilingual experiences to see how they relate to language decline and thinking skills in Hispanic adults with primary progressive aphasia.
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Functional reorganization of language and general brain networks in aphasia
This project studies how language areas and general brain networks work together to help people recover language after a stroke, by looking at brain activity and responses to language tasks.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.