Using electrical stimulation to improve language function in patients with logopenic variant PPA
Targeting Language-specific and Executive-control Networks With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Aphasic AD (Logopenic Variant PPA)
NA · Johns Hopkins University · NCT03887481
This study is testing if a special type of brain stimulation can help people with logopenic variant Primary Progressive Aphasia improve their language skills when combined with a language therapy.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 50 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Johns Hopkins University (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| Trial ID | NCT03887481 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This clinical trial investigates the effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on patients diagnosed with logopenic variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (lvPPA). The study aims to enhance language therapy outcomes by stimulating specific brain regions associated with verbal short-term memory and executive control. Participants will undergo a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled crossover design to assess the efficacy of tDCS combined with a language treatment called 'Repeat After Me' (RAM). The trial will also explore the underlying mechanisms of tDCS and identify predictors of its effectiveness in improving language function.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are right-handed individuals aged 50-80 who are proficient in English and diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia or its variants.
Not a fit: Patients with previous neurological diseases, uncorrected hearing or visual impairments, or those outside the specified age range may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly enhance communication abilities and quality of life for patients suffering from logopenic variant PPA.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown promising results with tDCS in enhancing language therapy outcomes in PPA, indicating a potential for success in this novel approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Must be between 50-80 years of age. * Must be right-handed. * Must be proficient in English. * Must have a minimum of high-school education. * Must be diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) or dementia. * Participants will be diagnosed with PPA or with any of the PPA variants in specialized or early dementias clinics at Johns Hopkins University or other specialized centers in the US based on the current consensus criteria. * Healthy age- and education-matched controls: The investigators will include 30 healthy age- and education-matched controls, usually spouses, to maximize similarity in terms of other demographic or life-style factors that contribute to language and cognitive performance. Exclusion Criteria: * People with previous neurological disease including vascular dementia (e.g., stroke, developmental dyslexia, dysgraphia or attentional deficit). * People with uncorrected hearing loss * People with uncorrected visual acuity loss. * People with advanced dementia or severe language impairments: Mini Mental State -Examination (MMSE)\<18, or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA)\<15, or language Frontotemporal Dementia specific - Clinical Dementia Rating (FTD-CDR)\<=2. * Left handed individuals. * People with pre-existing psychiatric disorders such as behavioral disturbances, severe depression, or schizophrenia that do not allow these people to comply or follow the study schedule and requirements such as repeated evaluation and therapy. Exclusion Criteria for MRI Participation: * People with severe claustrophobia. * People with cardiac pacemakers or ferromagnetic implants. * Pregnant women.
Where this trial is running
Baltimore, Maryland
- Johns Hopkins Hospital — Baltimore, Maryland, United States (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Kyrana Tsapkini, PhD — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Cesia Diaz
- Email: cesiad@jhmi.edu
- Phone: (410) 417 - 8230
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.
Conditions: Logopenic Progressive Aphasia, Primary Progressive Aphasia, transcranial direct current stimulation, neurodegeneration, verbal short-term memory, non-fluent variant, logopenic variant, primary progressive aphasia