Telerehabilitation for aphasia treatment
Official title: Center for the Study of Aphasia Recovery (C-STAR): Telerehabilitation for Aphasia (TERRA)
Run by University of South Carolina · NCT04682223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether a new online therapy for people with aphasia after a stroke works better than traditional in-person therapy.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 21 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of South Carolina Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbia, South Carolina) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 5, 2021 |
| Main results expected | January 2027 |
| Study ends | March 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 2, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT04682223 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 21-80 who have experienced a left hemisphere stroke at least 12 months prior and primarily speak English.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severely limited speech production or auditory comprehension that would hinder participation in therapy 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 project aims to compare the effectiveness of telerehabilitation, known as Aphasia Remote Therapy (ART), with traditional In-Clinic Therapy (I-CT) for patients with aphasia following a stroke. Aphasia is a language disorder that significantly impacts communication and quality of life, and access to therapy can be limited, especially in rural areas. By utilizing telerehabilitation, the study seeks to provide a more accessible option for patients who may not receive adequate in-person therapy. The trial will evaluate the efficacy of semantically-focused and phonologically-focused therapy tasks delivered remotely.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve access to effective aphasia therapy for stroke survivors, enhancing their communication abilities and overall quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: While telerehabilitation has been explored in physical therapy for stroke, this study represents a novel approach specifically targeting aphasia therapy.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Participants must have sustained a left hemisphere ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at least 12 months prior to enrollment. 2. Participants must primarily speak English for at least the past 20 years. 3. Participants must be capable of giving informed consent or indicating another to provide informed consent. 4. Participants must be between 21-80 years of age. 5. Participants must be magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible (e.g., no metal implants, not claustrophobic) on a 3-Tesla (3T) scanner. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Participants must not have previous neurological disease affecting the brain (e.g. history of traumatic brain injury). 2. Participants must not have severely limited speech production (severe unintelligibility) and/or auditory comprehension that interferes with adequate participation in the therapy provided (i.e., WAB-R Spontaneous Speech rating scale score of 0-1 or WAB-R Comprehension score of 0-1). 3. Participants must not have a history of stroke to the right hemisphere of the brain. 4. Participants must not have a bilateral, cerebellar or brainstem stroke. 5. Participants must not have anything that makes them be 3T MRI incompatible 6. Insufficient intelligible speech to provide accurate responses with discourse/naming.
Where it's running
-
University of South Carolina Aphasia Lab
Columbia, South Carolina, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Julius Fridriksson, Ph.D. — University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Sara Sayers, M.S.
- Email: ssayers@mailbox.sc.edu
- Phone: 803-777-2693
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Home-based vs. in-clinic upper extremity rehabilitation after stroke
This study tests whether a 20-hour home telerehabilitation program (tele-CPASS) works as well as the same in-clinic CPASS therapy for improving arm and hand function after stroke.
-
Balance and fall risk after stroke: Sensorimotor training versus whole-body vibration
A randomized study tests whether lower-limb sensorimotor training or whole-body vibration can improve balance and reduce fear of falling for people who have had a stroke.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
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.