Improving treatment for people with aphasia by adjusting how often and how intensely they practice speaking.
Official title: Modulating stimulus intensity to improve clinical outcomes in aphasia treatment
Funded at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab · NIH-10642964 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how different amounts and types of speech therapy can help people with aphasia improve their communication skills, so if you're interested in finding out what works best for recovery, this research might be for you!
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 9, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $602,686 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC016979-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10642964 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with aphasia who are seeking to improve their speech and communication abilities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe cognitive impairments or those who do not have aphasia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how varying the intensity and frequency of speech treatment can enhance recovery for individuals with aphasia, a communication disorder. By using a controlled computer environment, the study will explore the optimal number of practice repetitions and the timing of these sessions to maximize learning and neuroplastic changes in the brain. Participants will engage in script training, which has shown effectiveness in helping patients improve their speech production. The goal is to identify the best treatment parameters that lead to significant improvements in communication abilities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective aphasia treatments, helping patients regain their communication skills more efficiently.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated that adjusting treatment intensity can lead to better outcomes in speech therapy, suggesting that this approach may yield positive results.
Where this research is happening
-
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cherney, Leora R — Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
- Study coordinator: Cherney, Leora R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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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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.
-
eSANA: revealing and improving AAC use after stroke for aphasia
A project to explore how people with aphasia after a stroke can best use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) during early rehabilitation.
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Cortical Organization of Syntax in Aphasia
A patient-facing study to understand how brain injury affects sentence structure and help people with aphasia communicate more clearly.
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.