The Center for the Neurobiology of Language Recovery (CNLR)
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Aphasia
- Sponsor
- Northwestern University
- Enrollment
- 90
- Locations
- 4
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 4 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of treatment for specific language deficits in people with aphasia. In addition to language and cognitive measures, changes in brain function will also be gathered before and after the treatment is administered in order to track any changes resulting from receiving treatment.
Detailed Description
Naming Impairments (Anomia): The labs of Dr. Swathi Kiran (Boston University) and Dr. David Caplan (Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital) will be studying language recovery in adults with anomia (naming impairments) following a stroke. Participants will receive treatment focusing on the semantic features of common objects (e.g., that birds can fly). The study will examine how naming and other language abilities change in response to treatment, as well as how the brain changes, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other techniques. Spelling/Writing Impairments (Dysgraphia): At Johns Hopkins University, the lab of Dr. Brenda Rapp will investigate the neurobiology of language recovery in individuals with dysgraphia (spelling/writing impairments) resulting from a stroke. In this study, treatment will focus on improving spelling ability. The study will examine how spelling and other language abilities change in response to treatment, as well as how the brain changes, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other techniques. Deficits in Sentence Comprehension \& Production: Dr. Cynthia Thompson's lab at Northwestern University will investigate language recovery in individuals with deficits in sentence production and comprehension. Treatment focuses on production and comprehension of complex sentences. At baseline (week 0) and after the treatment period (at week 12), participants take part in language, eye-tracking, and MRI testing, in order to learn how the processing of language, as well as brain function, changes as a result of treatment.
Investigators
Cynthia K Thompson
Ralph and Jean Sundin Professor of Communication Sciences
Northwestern University
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Aphasia following a stroke
- •Stoke was at least 1 year ago
- •Medically stable
- •Right-handed
- •Normal or 'corrected to normal' vision and hearing
- •English as primary language
- •At least a high school education
Exclusion Criteria
- •History of neurological disease, head trauma, psychiatric disorders, alcoholism, or developmental speech, language, or learning disabilities
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment
Time Frame: week 0 to week 12
Standard and non-standard measures of language and cognitive abilities will be gathered at baseline (week 0) to see if language deficits improve after treatment is administered (week 12).
Secondary Outcomes
- Composite change in brain function as a result of treatment(week 0 to week 12)
- Maintenance of composite changes in brain function as a result of treatment(week 12 to week 24)
- Maintenance of language and cognitive abilities as a result of treatment(week 12 to week 24)