High-intensity exercise to improve recovery after post-stroke aphasia
High-intensity Exercise in Stroke Recovery: Randomized Trial
This tests whether a 12-week high-intensity group exercise program helps people with post-stroke aphasia improve physical fitness, language, thinking, and mood compared with low-intensity exercise.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of California, Berkeley Academic / other |
| Locations | 4 sites (Berkeley, California and 3 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07281313 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Adults with chronic aphasia after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke are randomly assigned to either a supervised high-intensity or a low-intensity group exercise program delivered over 12 weeks. The high-intensity program uses interval full-body workouts designed to boost cardiovascular fitness, strength, motor performance, and potential cognitive and language gains. Outcomes include measures of physical health, language function, cognition, motor recovery, and psychological or social domains collected immediately after the intervention and again at a 12-week follow-up. Participants must be English-proficient, ambulatory (single-point cane allowed), medically stable, and at least six months post-stroke.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-proficient adults (18–80) at least six months after an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with aphasia confirmed on a standardized test (WAB-AQ < 93.8), at least eight years of education, ambulatory without a device (single-point cane allowed), and medically cleared for exercise.
Not a fit: People with prior dementia or other neurologic illness, recent substance abuse, significant uncorrected visual/hearing deficits that interfere with testing, uncontrolled cardiorespiratory or metabolic disorders, or who are non-ambulatory may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve cardiovascular fitness and potentially enhance language, cognitive, motor, and mood recovery in people with post-stroke aphasia.
How similar studies have performed: Prior stroke rehabilitation studies have shown exercise can improve physical fitness and some cognitive outcomes, but using high-intensity interval exercise specifically to boost language recovery in aphasia is relatively novel and less tested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aphasia following ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke * Aphasia as determined by a standardized language test (Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia Quotient \< 93.8 at study intake) * At least 6 months from the last stroke * Proficient in English before the stroke * At least 8 years of education * Between the ages of 18 and 80 * Independent with ambulation without a device (single-point cane accepted) * Medically stable with no contraindications to participate in regular physical exercise as determined by the patients' own primary care provider or other treating provider. Exclusion Criteria: * Prior history of dementia, neurologic illness (other than stroke), or recent (last 3 years) substance abuse * Significant visual or hearing disabilities (e.g., neglect, uncorrected visual or hearing loss) that interfere with testing * Self-report uncontrolled cardiorespiratory and/or metabolic disorders incompatible with exercise
Where this trial is running
Berkeley, California and 3 other locations
- University of California, Berkeley — Berkeley, California, United States (Recruiting)
- California State University, East Bay — Hayward, California, United States (Recruiting)
- University of San Francisco — San Francisco, California, United States (Recruiting)
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Maria Ivanova, PhD — University of California, Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Maria Ivanova, PhD
- Email: ivanova@berkeley.edu
- Phone: 650-390-7572
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.