Rehabilitation and Prophylaxis of Anomia in Primary Progressive Aphasia

Sponsor

Georgetown University (Other)

Overall Status

Active, not recruiting

CT.gov ID

NCT02675270

Collaborator

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA) (NIH), Johns Hopkins University (Other)

Enrollment

Locations

Arms

139.9

Anticipated Duration (Months)

Patients Per Site

0.3

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to remediate word-finding problems in patients who have Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) or Alzheimer's Disease and to delay the further progression of word-finding impairment. The current approach is novel in that it contains a prophylaxis component in which the investigators attempt to strengthen neural connections that remain functional, making them more resistant to degradation as the disease progresses. While the study is specific in its targeting of word-finding problems, a successful outcome would bode well for other studies aimed at prevention or reversal of declining cognitive functions in dementia. One set of participants with PPA will receive practice with picture naming in two conditions: viewing the picture and repeating the name; and viewing the picture with its written name, plus reading and writing the name. Another set of participants with PPA or Alzheimer's Disease will be trained in two different conditions: learning about the word's semantic features (meaning); and learning about the word's lexical features (letters and sounds). Naming of pictures trained in each of these conditions will be compared, at three time intervals post-training, with naming of pictures tested before the study but never trained. It is predicted that the pairing of the picture with its written name, combined with the motor task of writing the name, will result in a greater ability to name the picture at a later date than simple practice viewing the picture and repeating the name. Furthermore, it is predicted that participants who have difficulty understanding concepts will be more likely to respond to semantic treatment, while participants who have difficulty connecting words with concepts will be more likely to respond to lexical treatment.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Aphasia, Primary Progressive Anomia Alzheimer Disease	Behavioral: Phonological Behavioral: Orthographic Behavioral: Semantic Behavioral: Lexical Behavioral: Untrained	N/A

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Actual Enrollment :

84 participants

Allocation:

Non-Randomized

Intervention Model:

Sequential Assignment

Masking:

None (Open Label)

Primary Purpose:

Treatment

Actual Study Start Date :

Nov 1, 2011

Anticipated Primary Completion Date :

Jun 30, 2023

Anticipated Study Completion Date :

Jun 30, 2023

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Phonological, Orthographic, Untrained	Behavioral: Phonological This treatment involves picture viewing and word repetition. Behavioral: Orthographic This treatment involves picture viewing, reading, and writing. Behavioral: Untrained These words are not trained during the treatment phase.
Experimental: Semantic, Lexical, Untrained	Behavioral: Semantic This treatment involves learning about the semantic features (meaning) of each trained word. Behavioral: Lexical This treatment involves learning about the lexical features (letters and sounds) of each trained word. Behavioral: Untrained These words are not trained during the treatment phase.

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Experimental: Phonological, Orthographic, Untrained

Behavioral: Phonological

This treatment involves picture viewing and word repetition.

Behavioral: Orthographic

This treatment involves picture viewing, reading, and writing.

Behavioral: Untrained

These words are not trained during the treatment phase.

Experimental: Semantic, Lexical, Untrained

Behavioral: Semantic

This treatment involves learning about the semantic features (meaning) of each trained word.

Behavioral: Lexical

This treatment involves learning about the lexical features (letters and sounds) of each trained word.

Behavioral: Untrained

These words are not trained during the treatment phase.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Change in picture naming accuracy for words within each treatment condition during treatment [baseline, 7 months]
The change in picture naming accuracy for trained words will be compared with the change in picture naming accuracy for words that were tested at baseline but never trained during the treatment phase.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Change in picture naming accuracy for words within each treatment condition between baseline and first follow-up assessment [baseline, 14 months]
The change in picture naming accuracy for trained words will be compared with the change in picture naming accuracy for words that were tested at baseline but never trained during the treatment phase.
Change in picture naming accuracy for words within each treatment condition between baseline and second follow-up assessment [baseline, 21 months]
The change in picture naming accuracy for trained words will be compared with the change in picture naming accuracy for words that were tested at baseline but never trained during the treatment phase.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

40 Years and Older

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA; including Frontotemporal Dementia, Semantic Dementia, or a similar condition) or Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
At least 10 years of education
Ability to follow spoken instructions
Medically stable
First language is English, or fluent in English since childhood
Willing to participate over a period of two years