Exercise as an Adjuvant to Aphasia Therapy
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Aphasia
- Sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Enrollment
- 9
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Picture Naming Abilities as Measured by Tau U Effect Size Weighted Means
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 6 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of the study is to reveal if individuals who participate in aerobic activity demonstrate greater improvement in language abilities than patients who do not participate in aerobic activity.
Detailed Description
The objective of this research project is to reveal if individuals who participate in aerobic activity demonstrate greater improvement in language abilities with treatment than patients who do not participate in aerobic activity. As secondary objectives, we will determine if there is a direct relationship between either brain efficiency or increases in Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) after exercise and higher learning rates in aphasia.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Post-stroke aphasia
- •at least 6 months post-stroke
- •at least minimally intact auditory verbal comprehension
- •pre-morbidly right handed
- •native English speaker
Exclusion Criteria
- •contraindications for fMRI (metal implants, claustrophobia)
- •inability to pass an exercise tolerance test
- •significant depression
- •uncorrected hearing or vision problems
- •severe apraxia of speech
- •regularly perform 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 times per week
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Picture Naming Abilities as Measured by Tau U Effect Size Weighted Means
Time Frame: administered before and after each of two, two week aphasia therapy blocks
Tau-U effect sizes of \<0.20 were considered small; 0.20 to \<0.60 moderate; 0.60 to \<0.80 large, and \>=0.80 very large. Weighted Tau-U averages in exercise participants and stretching participants were calculated in each block using an online web-based calculator (http://www.singleresearch.org/calculators/tau-u). In the present analysis, any baseline trends over 0.10 were adjusted.
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Serum Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Levels With Exercise(six samples collected over a 16 week period)