Anomia Treatment for Aphasia

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: State University of New York at Buffalo

Disqualifiers: Dementia, Chronic illness, Severe impairment, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 20

2 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Anomia Treatment for aphasia?

Research shows that phoneme-based treatments for anomia in aphasia can improve naming abilities and phonologic production, with effects maintained for months after treatment. Additionally, computer-assisted therapy for anomia has been shown to improve naming performance, especially when a larger number of items are treated. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Anomia Treatment for Aphasia safe for humans?

The safety of Anomia Treatment for Aphasia isn't directly addressed in the provided research, but similar treatments like donepezil, used for Alzheimer's, are generally well-tolerated with common side effects like nausea and dizziness. Memantine, another related treatment, is considered safer than some alternatives. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does Anomia Treatment for aphasia differ from other treatments?

Anomia Treatment for aphasia is unique because it focuses on improving word retrieval abilities through a group therapy setting, which may enhance communication in daily life. Unlike traditional treatments that often focus on individual therapy, this approach leverages group dynamics to potentially improve outcomes. ^{3 11 12 13 14}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to identify predictors of response to phonological-focused anomia treatment in people with aphasia. The main question it aims to answer is who responds to which type of anomia treatment. Researchers will compare Phonomotor Treatment and Phonological Components Analysis to see which treatment is more beneficial, and for whom. Participants will engage in both treatments over several months.

Research Team

Nichol Castro, PhD

Principal Investigator

SUNY at Buffalo

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals with chronic aphasia and anomia for over 6 months, who can follow spoken instructions and have phonologic impairments. It's not suitable for those with progressive neurological diseases, chronic medical conditions affecting participation, or severe vision/hearing issues that hinder task completion.

Inclusion Criteria

Chronic aphasia (6+ months)

Anomia

Sufficient auditory comprehension to follow task instructions

Exclusion Criteria

Chronic medical illness that interferes with adherence to testing schedule

I have severe vision or hearing problems that affect my daily tasks.

I have a speech disorder that makes it hard for me to complete tasks.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Phonomotor Treatment

Participants receive Phonomotor Treatment to improve anomia by training the sound sequences of words. This includes listening, producing, visualizing, and describing sounds and sound sequences.

5-7 weeks

10-15 sessions, twice a week

Interim Period

A period of no treatment between the first and second treatment blocks.

2-4 weeks

Phonological Components Analysis

Participants receive Phonological Components Analysis treatment to improve anomia by identifying phonological features of words.

5-7 weeks

10-15 sessions, twice a week

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Anomia Treatment

Trial Overview The study aims to find out which patients benefit more from two different speech therapy treatments: Phonomotor Treatment versus Phonological Components Analysis. Participants will undergo both treatments across several months to determine the most effective approach.

Participant Groups

Group I: PMT Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Phonomotor Treatment (PMT) will be administered. This treatment improves anomia by training the sound sequences of words. This is a multimodal treatment approach that includes listening, producing, visualizing, and describing sounds and sound sequences. The participant practices the sound sequence tasks with the clinician.

Group II: PCA Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Phonological Components Analysis (PCA) will be administered. This treatment improves anomia by identifying phonological features of words. A picture is presented. The participant provides features of the picture name: the first sound of the word, the final sound of the word, the number of syllables of the word, another word that starts with the same sound, and another words that rhymes with the word. The participant attempts to produce the word independently and by repeating after the clinician.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

State University of New York at Buffalo

Lead Sponsor

Trials

279

Recruited

52,600+

Findings from Research

In a study of 26 participants with aphasia undergoing a 6-week phonomotor treatment program, characteristics like aphasia severity and error profile were linked to improvements in confrontation naming and discourse abilities, but no single characteristic consistently predicted long-term benefits three months after treatment.

The variability in treatment responses suggests that factors beyond age, severity, and error profile may play a role in how individuals with aphasia respond to phonomotor therapy, indicating a need for further research into these influences.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of Linguistic and Nonlinguistic Variables on Generalization and Maintenance Following Phonomotor Treatment for Aphasia. Pompon, RH., Bislick, L., Elliott, K., et al.[2022]

A study involving 10 adults with chronic post-stroke aphasia showed that phonological treatment for anomia led to significant improvements in naming accuracy for both treated and untreated words, with benefits observed at multiple follow-up points.

The research identified that early responsiveness to treatment cues and initial improvements in naming were strong predictors of overall treatment success, suggesting that strengthening lexical-phonological connections may facilitate generalization of treatment effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mechanisms underlying anomia treatment outcomes. Simic, T., Chambers, C., Bitan, T., et al.[2021]

A survey of two national pharmacovigilance databases revealed that rivastigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor used for dementia, is associated with a significantly higher frequency of reported deaths compared to other similar medications, with reporting odds ratios indicating a strong correlation.

Despite the effectiveness of cholinesterase inhibitors in treating Alzheimer's disease, the increased risk of fatal outcomes with rivastigmine should be carefully considered when prescribing this medication.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse Effects of Cholinesterase Inhibitors in Dementia, According to the Pharmacovigilance Databases of the United-States and Canada. Ali, TB., Schleret, TR., Reilly, BM., et al.[2022]

In a study of 1332 patients with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias in France, the prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was found to be 5.0%, with serious ADRs occurring in 31.9% of cases, highlighting the potential risks associated with medication in this population.

The most common ADRs were gastrointestinal, central nervous system, and psychiatric disorders, with anti-dementia and psychotropic drugs being the most frequently implicated, indicating a need for careful monitoring and prescribing practices in patients with dementia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse drug reactions in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in France: a national multicentre cross-sectional study. Laroche, ML., Perault-Pochat, MC., Ingrand, I., et al.[2013]

In a pharmacovigilance study of 1762 patients taking donepezil for Alzheimer's disease, common side effects included nausea, diarrhea, malaise, dizziness, and insomnia, but serious issues like cardiac disturbances were not observed.

While the study noted some uncommon adverse reactions such as aggression and abnormal dreams, these findings suggest the need for further research to confirm their association with donepezil.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse effects associated with the use of donepezil in general practice in England. Dunn, NR., Pearce, GL., Shakir, SA.[2018]

In a study involving 1,920 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, donepezil was found to be well tolerated, with a completion rate of 79% and a favorable safety profile at doses of 5 mg and 10 mg.

While 11% of patients on donepezil withdrew due to adverse events compared to 7% on placebo, the most common side effects were manageable and included nausea and dizziness, with no significant impact on laboratory tests or liver function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Donepezil: tolerability and safety in Alzheimer's disease. Pratt, RD., Perdomo, CA., Surick, IW., et al.[2022]

In a study of 57 individuals with aphasia, both Phonomotor Therapy (PMT) and Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) showed initial improvements in discourse production, but only PMT led to significant long-term gains three months after treatment.

The results suggest that while both treatments can be effective, PMT may provide more lasting benefits for improving functional communication in daily situations compared to SFA.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Phonomotor Therapy and Semantic Feature Analysis on Discourse Production. Silkes, JP., Fergadiotis, G., Graue, K., et al.[2021]

A study involving 26 individuals with chronic aphasia due to stroke showed that intensive phonologic therapy led to a 5% improvement in naming untrained nouns after 3 months, indicating effective generalization of therapy benefits.

The therapy also resulted in 9% to 10% increases in generalization measures of phonologic processes, suggesting that this approach can enhance overall phonemic access and efficiency, supporting its potential for broader application in aphasia treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Influence of Phonomotor Treatment on Word Retrieval Abilities in 26 Individuals With Chronic Aphasia: An Open Trial. Kendall, DL., Oelke, M., Brookshire, CE., et al.[2022]

References

1. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phoneme-based rehabilitation of anomia in aphasia. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of Linguistic and Nonlinguistic Variables on Generalization and Maintenance Following Phonomotor Treatment for Aphasia. [2022]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Naming vs. non-naming treatment in aphasia in a group setting-A randomized controlled trial. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Computerised treatment of anomia in acute aphasia: treatment intensity and training size. [2006]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mechanisms underlying anomia treatment outcomes. [2021]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Toxicological Differences Between NMDA Receptor Antagonists and Cholinesterase Inhibitors. [2018]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse Effects of Cholinesterase Inhibitors in Dementia, According to the Pharmacovigilance Databases of the United-States and Canada. [2022]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse drug reactions in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in France: a national multicentre cross-sectional study. [2013]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse effects associated with the use of donepezil in general practice in England. [2018]

10. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Donepezil: tolerability and safety in Alzheimer's disease. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Phonomotor Therapy and Semantic Feature Analysis on Discourse Production. [2021]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phonological Treatment Approaches for Spoken Word Production in Aphasia. [2018]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Extending the use of Spanish Computer-assisted Anomia Rehabilitation Program (CARP-2) in people with aphasia. [2022]

14. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Influence of Phonomotor Treatment on Word Retrieval Abilities in 26 Individuals With Chronic Aphasia: An Open Trial. [2022]