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tDCS + Speech-Language Therapy for Aphasia

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Kyrana Tsapkini, PhD
Research Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Must be clinically diagnosed with nfvPPA or unclassifiable PPA. Diagnosis will be based on neuropsychological testing, language testing (most commonly the Western Aphasia Battery), MRI and clinical assessment.
Be older than 18 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention
Awards & highlights

Study Summary

This trial is testing whether using transcranial direct current stimulation in combination with language therapy can help improve language abilities in people with primary progressive aphasia.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for right-handed English speakers with at least a 9th grade education, diagnosed with non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) or unclassifiable PPA. Participants must be able to follow directions and not have severe language impairment, other neurological disorders, other language-based learning disorders, or uncorrected visual/hearing impairments.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
The study tests if brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when combined with speech-language therapy, helps people with nfvPPA speak better than just therapy alone. It looks at immediate improvements in language performance and checks if these benefits last up to two months after treatment.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
While the document does not specify side effects of tDCS directly, common ones can include mild tingling, itching or discomfort at the electrode sites on the scalp during stimulation. Serious side effects are rare.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
Select...
I have been diagnosed with a specific type of language disorder based on tests and MRI.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 weeks post intervention and 2 months post intervention for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
Change in segmental duration of consonants of trained words
Change in segmental duration of consonants of untrained words
Change in segmental duration of vowels of trained words
+3 more
Secondary outcome measures
Change in anisotropy of white matter tracts of select brain regions
Change in digit span backward score
Change in digit span forward score
+9 more

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy firstExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
Active tDCS will be applied at the beginning of 45 minutes speech-language therapy session and then participant will be switched to sham tDCS after a washout period.
Group II: Sham plus Speech-Language Therapy firstPlacebo Group2 Interventions
Sham will be applied at the beginning of 45 minutes speech-language therapy session and then participant will be switched to an active tDCS after a washout period.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy
2018
N/A
~10

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Johns Hopkins UniversityLead Sponsor
2,259 Previous Clinical Trials
14,820,593 Total Patients Enrolled
Kyrana Tsapkini, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorJohns Hopkins University
6 Previous Clinical Trials
360 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT04486586 — N/A
Primary Progressive Aphasia Research Study Groups: Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy first, Sham plus Speech-Language Therapy first
Primary Progressive Aphasia Clinical Trial 2023: Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT04486586 — N/A
Active tDCS plus Speech-Language Therapy 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT04486586 — N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

What is the current cap on participants for this research project?

"Affirmative. According to clinicaltrials.gov, this medical experiment, which was initially published on April 1st 2013 is actively recruiting participants. Sixty individuals are required from a single healthcare facility."

Answered by AI

Is enrollment open to geriatric individuals for this experiment?

"According to the stated inclusion criteria, individuals aged between 50 and 90 can enroll in this trial. Additionally, there are 10 trials for minors and 117 ones open to seniors."

Answered by AI

What main goals are researchers hoping to achieve with this investigation?

"The aim of this trial is to determine the effect of intervention on speech fluency with trained words. Secondary objectives include assessing changes in semantic content when describing Cookie Theft and Circus images, Boston Naming Test score, and Digit Span Forward Score before and after the intervention. Increase in scores will be considered a benefit."

Answered by AI

Is participation in this medical experiment open to me?

"60 individuals between the ages of 50 and 90 are needed for a medical trial focused on primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Crucially, they must possess certain qualifications such as being right-handed, English speaking, possessing at least 9th grade education, and having been clinically diagnosed with nfvPPA or unclassifiable PPA. This diagnosis will be established through MRI scans, clinical assessment, language testing (often using Western Aphasia Battery), and neuropsychological examinations."

Answered by AI

Is there an opportunity to partake in this experiment presently?

"Affirmative, clinicaltrials.gov data indicates that the study is currently enrolling patients. The initiative was initially posted on April 1st, 2013 and subsequently revised on June 14th 2022; seeking to recruit 60 individuals from one medical location."

Answered by AI

Who else is applying?

What state do they live in?
Maryland
District of Columbia
How old are they?
65+
What site did they apply to?
Johns Hopkins Hospital
What portion of applicants met pre-screening criteria?
Met criteria
Recent research and studies
clinicaltrials.govStudy
Effects of tDCS on Apraxia of Speech in Non-Fluent Primary Progressive Aphasia
2013. "Effects of tDCS on Apraxia of Speech in Non-Fluent Primary Progressive Aphasia". ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04486586.
All > Aphasia > Frontotemporal Dementia
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