MedPath

Predicting Rehabilitation Outcomes in Bilingual Aphasia Using Computational Modeling

Not Applicable
Conditions
Aphasia
Interventions
Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA)
Registration Number
NCT02916524
Lead Sponsor
Boston University Charles River Campus
Brief Summary

The purpose of this investigation is to implement a computational model that can predict and optimize training and cross-language generalization patterns for bilingual persons with aphasia (BPA). The proposed work will determine the best possible treatment program for each individual patient even before they are rehabilitated. In addition, the computational model allows specification of variables such as age of acquisition, language exposure/proficiency, impairment and their systematic influence on a range of language rehabilitation outcomes.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
48
Inclusion Criteria
  • Any number of years of education
  • Bilingual: speaking both Spanish and English (or Chinese and English) with any degree of language proficiency prior to stroke
  • Aphasia secondary to a left-hemisphere stroke (diagnosed by a neurologist on the basis of clinical CT/MRI imaging or medical reports)
  • Aphasia resulting from stroke or dementia
  • Naming deficits must be present with concurrent lexical/semantic impairment
  • Visual and auditory acuity sufficient for all assessment and treatment procedures
  • Ability to understand study and follow study procedures for the entire length of the study
Exclusion Criteria
  • Premorbid history of speech/language disorder
  • Proficient in more than just Spanish and English (or Chinese and English)
  • Overt, behaviorally noticeable, attentional limitations that interfere with completing the experimental tasks
  • Active medical disease that may compromise participation (e.g., cancer undergoing acute treatment, unstable diabetes, renal or hepatic insufficiency, fluctuating systemic immunological disease such as systemic lupus erythematosis, etc.)
  • Currently taking medications that are known to exert significant effects on cognitive processes, such as neuroleptics, steroids, anticholinesterase inhibitors, etc.
  • Current drug or alcohol use or dependence that would interfere with adherence to study requirements, in the opinion of the principal investigator
  • Inability or unwillingness of individual to give written informed consent
  • Diagnosed with mental illness other than active depression
  • Neurological condition other than that which resulted in aphasia

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Model-basedSemantic Feature Analysis (SFA)Semantic Feature Analysis training will be provided in the language that was selected by the computational model.
Model-oppositeSemantic Feature Analysis (SFA)Semantic Feature Analysis training will be provided in the language opposite to that which was selected by the computational model.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Word Retrieval Accuracy in both languagesThrough study completion, an average of 10 weeks

Accuracy of naming of pictured treated and untreated items in both languages will be assessed in probes conducted separate from treatment. Probes were conducted repeatedly throughout the study, from baseline (prior to treatment) to the end of treatment. All naming responses were scored using as correct or incorrect. A percentage accuracy was calculated for each set of items for every probe session. Baseline probe scores were compared to end of treatment probe scores to obtain individual effect sizes for each sets of items for each participant (i.e., several effect sizes were calculated for each participant).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Verbal fluency task (COWAT) in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses general fluency

Psycholinguistic assessments of language processing in aphasia (PALPA) in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Reading single words and understanding spoken words

Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT) B and C in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses each of the languages of a bilingual or multilingual individual with aphasia

Boston Naming Test (BNT) in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Naming pictured items

Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses the levels of impairment of aphasia

Pyramids and Palm Trees Test (PAPT) 3 pictures versionWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses semantic processing ability

Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT) in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses the contribution of cognitive deficits to language dysfunction

Category fluency task in both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses category fluency

Aphasia BankWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Assesses discourse

Communication Effectiveness Index (CETI) for both languagesWeek 1 and up to 10 weeks

Determines communication effectiveness by proxy

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Boston University Sargent College

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

San Francisco State University

🇺🇸

San Francisco, California, United States

Austin Speech Labs

🇺🇸

Austin, Texas, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath