Telemedicine therapy for improving language skills in stroke patients with aphasia
Official title: PICTURE IT: Producing Increasingly Complex Themes Using Right-hemisphere Engagement (PICTURE) Implemented With Telemedicine
Run by Johns Hopkins University · NCT05845047 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing two different online language therapies for stroke patients with aphasia to see which one helps improve their speaking and naming skills better.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 99 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 70 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Johns Hopkins University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 31, 2023 |
| Main results expected | August 2031 |
| Study ends | October 2031 |
| Registry record updated | September 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05845047 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 or older who have experienced a stroke within the last 1 to 4 months or more than 6 months prior and have naming deficits.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not speak English or have a history of other neurological diseases or severe psychiatric conditions may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This pilot crossover trial compares two behavioral language treatments for patients with aphasia following a stroke. One treatment focuses on stimulating right hemisphere functions through telemedicine, while the other is a computer-delivered lexical treatment. Participants will undergo both treatments in a randomized order, with blinded assessors evaluating changes in discourse and naming abilities. The study also includes assessments of brain connectivity and optional saliva samples to analyze neurotrophic factor status.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could significantly enhance language recovery in stroke patients with aphasia.
How similar studies have gone: While this approach is innovative, similar studies have shown promise in enhancing language recovery through targeted therapies.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18 or older 2. Premorbid proficiency in English 3. Left hemisphere ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke confirmed by imaging, which occurred either 1-4 months or ≥ 6 months ago 4. Diagnosis of aphasia secondary to stroke as defined using the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised Aphasia Quotient \< 93.8. 5. Capable of giving informed consent or indicating another to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior history of neurologic disease affecting the brain (e.g., brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury) other than stroke 2. Prior history of severe psychiatric illness, developmental disorders or intellectual disability (e.g., PTSD, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorders) 3. Inability to follow the treatment procedure as indicated by appropriate (not necessarily accurate) engagement during 5 probes of each. 4. Uncorrected severe visual loss or hearing loss by self-report and medical records
Where it's running
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Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Argye E Hillis, MD — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Argye E Hillis, MD
- Email: argye@jhmi.edu
- Phone: 410-614-2381
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Tailoring rTMS for Post-Stroke Aphasia Based on Language Profile
A non-drug brain stimulation approach is tested to see if customizing rTMS targets improves language recovery in people with aphasia after a left-brain stroke.
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tDCS in Rehab for Stroke-Related Aphasia: A Practical Implementation
This study tests whether a 20-minute anodal tDCS session paired with speech therapy can be integrated into routine inpatient and outpatient rehab for people who recently had a stroke and now have aphasia.
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Decoding Mandarin speech features from brain-surface signals
This project will try to decode imagined Mandarin speech, including lexical tones, from high-density brain-surface (ECoG) signals in adult patients who are having clinically indicated cortical electrode placement.
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Digital speech-therapy app Zenicom for subacute post-stroke aphasia in Korean speakers
This trial will try the Zenicom digital speech-therapy app alongside conventional therapy to see if it helps Korean adults with aphasia after a recent (within 3 months) stroke.
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Deep phenotyping to explore recovery in young adults after stroke
This project will test whether a detailed health and sample-collection approach (deep phenotyping) is practical and acceptable for people aged 18–55 who have had a stroke.
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TMS plus language therapy to improve word-finding after left-hemisphere stroke
Researchers will try excitatory transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with semantic feature analysis language therapy to improve word-finding in adults with aphasia after left-hemisphere stroke.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.