Using brain stimulation to improve language skills in stroke survivors with aphasia
Official title: Synchronizing Oscillatory Brain Activity to Treat Post-Stroke Aphasia
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11035400 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a special type of brain stimulation can help stroke survivors with aphasia improve their language skills by customizing the treatment to fit each person's unique brain needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $428,883 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DC022376-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11035400 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are stroke survivors who have developed aphasia and are experiencing challenges with language and communication.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have aphasia or those who are not stroke survivors may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the use of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to enhance language outcomes in stroke survivors who experience aphasia. The approach involves tailoring the stimulation parameters based on individual brain characteristics, such as lesion location and remaining brain activity. By analyzing these factors, the researchers aim to optimize the effectiveness of tACS in improving phonological short-term memory and overall communication abilities. This personalized method seeks to address the variability in responses observed in previous studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve language recovery and communication skills for stroke survivors with aphasia.
How similar studies have gone: While tACS has shown promise in enhancing cognitive performance in various populations, its application specifically for improving language outcomes in stroke survivors with aphasia is still relatively novel and underexplored.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shah-Basak, Priyanka — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Shah-Basak, Priyanka
Related research
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Restoring speech with a brain implant for stroke-related aphasia
A study at UC Davis aims to help people who have language trouble after a stroke by using a tiny brain implant to turn brain signals into spoken words.
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Predicting language recovery after stroke using AI
A new AI-based project uses brain scans and personal data to forecast how aphasia may progress after a stroke, with the goal of guiding personalized treatment.
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Neural signals of getting speech back after stroke
This grant studies how the brain changes as people recover speech after a stroke, to help predict and improve language recovery.
-
How the brain recovers language after a stroke
This research follows people with aphasia after stroke to find brain and behavior signs that predict who will regain speech and language.
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.