Understanding brain changes in a type of aphasia
Official title: Longitudinal multi-modality imaging in non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11137609 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at brain changes over time in people with a specific type of language disorder called non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $684,052 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC012519-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137609 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals diagnosed with non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia who are willing to participate in long-term imaging and blood sample collection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia or those unable to undergo imaging or provide blood samples may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This project aims to understand how brain changes, like inflammation and protein buildup, contribute to a language disorder called non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA). Researchers are using advanced brain scans, called PET imaging, to see patterns of inflammation in the brain. They are also studying blood samples to find specific markers that might show what's happening in the brain. By following these changes over time, we hope to learn more about how nfvPPA progresses and affects language abilities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia, potentially helping to identify new ways to diagnose or track the disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cycles of this grant have successfully characterized neurodegeneration and tau deposition in nfvPPA, indicating a foundation for this continued work.
Where this research is happening
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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
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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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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Communication Bridge helps people with primary progressive aphasia talk more clearly
Aimed at people with primary progressive aphasia, this project tests a speech-language and psychosocial program delivered by telepractice to improve daily communication and quality of life.
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Transcranial current therapy for language in progressive aphasia
A world-class team is testing a painless brain-stimulation method to help people with primary progressive aphasia say more words and names.
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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.