Using a portable, clinic-friendly brain scan to map language after stroke
Concurrent Validity, Test-Retest Reliability, and Sensitivity to Change of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Measuring Language-Related Brain Activity in Post-Stroke Aphasia
This project compares a quiet, clinic-friendly brain scanner (fNIRS) with MRI to map language areas and track changes during rehabilitation for people with post-stroke aphasia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11220708 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would take part in brain imaging sessions using a wearable near-infrared device (fNIRS) while doing natural language tasks, and some participants will also have standard fMRI for comparison. The team will repeat fNIRS scans to check whether the results are stable over time. Participants who receive language therapy will have scans before and after treatment to see if fNIRS detects brain changes linked to recovery. The goal is to show fNIRS works like fMRI for language mapping but is safer, quieter, and easier to use in clinic settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with chronic aphasia after stroke who can follow simple language tasks and are medically stable would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without stroke-related aphasia, those with severe cognitive or medical problems that prevent participation in language tasks, or those unable to attend in-person visits are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, fNIRS could allow more people with aphasia to get safe, affordable brain mapping and help clinicians track language recovery without needing MRI.
How similar studies have performed: fNIRS has shown promise for brain mapping in other populations, but applying it specifically to language mapping and treatment-related change in post-stroke aphasia is relatively new and not yet widely validated.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- Veterans Health Administration — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Jeffrey P — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Jeffrey P
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 below.