Longitudinal brain imaging in a form of speech-language degeneration (nfvPPA)
Official title: Longitudinal multi-modality imaging in non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11350994 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Mayo Clinic study follows people with non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia over time to map brain changes using advanced imaging and blood biomarkers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2013 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $684,052 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC012519-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11350994 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults diagnosed with the non-fluent/agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia who can undergo PET imaging and blood tests.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not have nfvPPA or cannot participate in imaging or blood tests may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tracks how brain structure and function change in people with non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) using multiple imaging methods and blood tests. Researchers will use PET imaging to measure brain inflammation and analyze blood-based biomarkers like neurofilament light chain and GFAP to understand disease biology. The study aims to see how these biological signals relate to how the disease progresses and to clinical symptoms such as speech and language difficulties. By following participants over several years, the team hopes to identify markers that reflect disease activity and could guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors monitor disease progression more accurately and pave the way for targeted therapies for nfvPPA.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cycles showed imaging and biomarkers can reveal disease patterns, supporting the potential value of these approaches in nfvPPA.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whitwell, Jennifer Louise — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Whitwell, Jennifer Louise
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
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Bilingualism and language resilience in Hispanic people with primary progressive aphasia
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Communication Bridge helps people with primary progressive aphasia talk more clearly
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Transcranial current therapy for language in progressive aphasia
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Improving communication support for people with primary progressive aphasia
This project improves and delivers an evidence-based speech and communication program to help people with primary progressive aphasia and their care partners, including through telehealth.
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Primary Progressive Aphasia: How speech and language decline happens and progresses
This grant studies a brain disease called primary progressive aphasia to understand why speech and language slip up over time.
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.