Understanding how aging affects language processing after a stroke
Official title: Brain Age in Aphasia
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-10945028 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how getting older affects language difficulties after a stroke, and it aims to understand how changes in the brain can influence how severe these language issues are, so we can find better ways to help people with aphasia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $601,672 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DC022458-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10945028 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are stroke survivors experiencing chronic aphasia, particularly those who are older or have cardiovascular risk factors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have aphasia or have not experienced a stroke may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between aging and aphasia, a language processing disorder that often occurs after a stroke. By utilizing advanced neuroimaging techniques, the study aims to measure brain age and its impact on aphasia severity, particularly focusing on how age-related brain integrity influences communication abilities. The research seeks to identify personalized factors that contribute to the severity of aphasia, which could lead to improved treatment strategies for affected individuals. Participants may undergo brain imaging and cognitive assessments to help clarify these relationships.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and treatment options for individuals suffering from aphasia after a stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the effects of brain aging on cognitive functions, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bonilha, Leonardo F — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Bonilha, Leonardo F
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.
-
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.
-
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.