Speech-Language Therapy for Aphasia
(TERRA Trial)
Trial Summary
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Speech-Language Therapy for Aphasia?
Research shows that phonologically-focused therapy, like Phonological Components Analysis (PCA), can significantly improve naming abilities in people with aphasia, with many maintaining improvements over time. Additionally, phonological treatments may be particularly beneficial for individuals with more severe impairments and apraxia of speech, while semantic treatments might be more effective for those with milder impairments and fluent speech.12345
Is speech-language therapy for aphasia safe for humans?
How does the Speech-Language Therapy for Aphasia treatment differ from other treatments?
This treatment is unique because it combines phonologically-focused tasks, which help with sound retrieval, and semantically-focused tasks, which aid in understanding word meanings, to improve naming abilities in people with aphasia. It is tailored to individual needs, with phonological tasks benefiting those with severe impairments and apraxia of speech, while semantic tasks are more effective for those with milder impairments and fluent speech.23678
What is the purpose of this trial?
Speech-language therapy is generally found to be helpful in the rehabilitation of aphasia. However, not all patients with aphasia have access to adequate treatment to maximize their recovery. The goal of this project is to compare the efficacy of telerehabilitation or Aphasia Remote Therapy (ART) to the more traditional In-Clinic Therapy (I-CT).
Research Team
Julius Fridriksson, Ph.D
Principal Investigator
University of South Carolina
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for English-speaking adults aged 21-80 who've had a left hemisphere stroke at least a year ago and can consent to treatment. They must be MRI compatible without metal implants or claustrophobia, and have no history of other brain diseases or severe speech/comprehension impairments.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants receive 3 weeks of daily semantically-focused treatment and 3 weeks of daily phonologically-focused treatment, either remotely or in-clinic
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in speech production and quality of life after treatment
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Phonologically-focused therapy tasks
- Semantically-focused therapy tasks
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of South Carolina
Lead Sponsor
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Collaborator
Medical University of South Carolina
Collaborator