Understanding speech difficulties in people with aphasia after a stroke

Neural Bases of Vocal Sensorimotor Impairment in Aphasia

This study is trying to understand how brain activity affects speech difficulties in people with aphasia after a stroke, to see if new training methods can help them speak better.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Ages: 21 Years to 75 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: The University of Texas at Dallas (Academic / other)
• Locations: 3 sites (Irvine, California and 2 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT04742894 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the neural mechanisms underlying vocal sensorimotor impairments in individuals with aphasia resulting from chronic left hemisphere strokes. It aims to identify objective biomarkers through behavioral assessments, EEG, and fMRI to better understand the role of auditory feedback in speech production and control. By comparing individuals with aphasia to age- and gender-matched healthy controls, the study seeks to refine treatment strategies and improve recovery outcomes for patients. The intervention involves visual feedback training to enhance speech motor output.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include individuals aged 21-75 with chronic left hemisphere stroke-induced aphasia who are right-handed and native English speakers.

Not a fit: Patients with severe deficits that prevent them from performing experimental tasks may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to more effective therapies for improving speech recovery in patients with aphasia.

How similar studies have performed: While there is ongoing research in this area, this study's specific focus on auditory feedback and its neural correlates in aphasia is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* A total of 50 individuals with aphasia due to chronic left hemisphere stroke (\> 6 months post-stroke) and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects will be recruited in this study. The general inclusion criteria for all subjects include: age range 21-75 years, right-handed, and native speaker of English. The aphasic subjects have previously undergone neuro-psychological speech/language testing and have been diagnosed with one type of aphasia (e.g., Broca's, Wernicke's, conduction or anomic). Subjects in the control group will meet the inclusion criteria with having normal voice, speech, language, and hearing function and no history of neurological and psychiatric disorder. We expect that a significant proportion of aphasic patients will show symptoms associated with Apraxia of Speech (AOS) or dysarthria; however, these patients will not be excluded unless their deficits will preclude them from performing the experimental tasks.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects with moderate to severe hearing, memory, and/or cognitive impairments will be excluded for both groups. In addition, subjects with history of peripheral laryngeal disorders (e.g., paresis or vocal fold paralysis) will be excluded. Subjects will undergo safety screening and will be excluded if there are any factors counter-indicative for EEG and/or MRI scanning.

Where this trial is running

Irvine, California and 2 other locations

• University of California Irvine — Irvine, California, United States (Not_yet_recruiting)
• University of South Carolina — Columbia, South Carolina, United States (Not_yet_recruiting)
• The University of Texas at Dallas — Richardson, Texas, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Roozbeh Behroozmand, PhD

Conditions Aphasia