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Primary Progressive AphasiaNCT05741853

Cognitive Reserve and Response to Speech-Language Intervention in Bilingual Speakers With Primary Progressive Aphasia

A study testing Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA) and Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT) in people with Primary Progressive Aphasia and Dementia, run by Stephanie Grasso at 3 sites in 2 countries.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Difficulties with speech and language are the first and most notable symptoms of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). While there is evidence that demonstrates positive effects of speech-language treatment for individuals with PPA who only speak one language (monolinguals), there is a significant need for investigating… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 40 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA) and Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
60 participants
Where
3 sitesin 2 countries
Study dates
1 May 2023to 30 Nov 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 40 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Meets diagnostic criteria for Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA; Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011)
  • Bilingual in Spanish and Catalan or bilingual in Spanish and English
  • Different proficiency levels across languages are expected, any prior experience in both languages is acceptable
  • Intervention study: Score of 15 or higher on the Mini-Mental State Examination
  • Note that this project will also recruit individuals to participate in assessment only, for these individuals the following inclusion criteria applies: Score of 10 or higher on the Mini-Mental State Examination

Who cannot join

  • Other central nervous system or medical diagnosis that can cause symptoms
  • Other psychiatric diagnosis that can cause symptoms
  • Significant, uncorrected visual or hearing impairment that would interfere with participation
  • Prominent initial non-speech-language impairments (cognitive, behavioral, motoric)
  • Intervention Study: Score of less than 15 on the Mini-Mental State Examination
  • Note that this project will also recruit individuals to participate in assessment only, for these individuals the following inclusion criteria applies: Score of less than 10 on the Mini-Mental State Examination

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 2 countries. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Camille Wagner Rodríguez, M.S., CCC-SLP contact

512-471-4119

wagner.camille@austin.utexas.edu

3 sites in 2 countries

Spain2 sites, 2 recruiting

  • Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau

    Barcelona, Barcelona, 08025

    Estefania Garcia, egarciah@santpau.cat

    Miguel A Santos Santos, MD

    Recruiting

  • Hospital Clínic de Barcelona

    Barcelona, 08036

    Núria Montagut Colomer, NMONTAGU@clinic.cat

    Not yet recruiting

Other trials in Spain

United States1 site, 1 recruiting

  • University of Texas at Austin

    Austin, Texas, 78752

    Camille Wagner Rodríguez, M.S., wagner.camille@austin.utexas.edu

    Stephanie M Grasso, Ph.D.

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Cognitive Reserve and Linguistic Resilience in Bilingual Hispanics With Primary Progressive Aphasia

Difficulties with speech and language are the first and most notable symptoms of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). While there is evidence that demonstrates positive effects of speech-language treatment for individuals with PPA who only speak one language (monolinguals), there is a significant need for investigating the effects of treatment that is optimized for bilingual speakers with PPA. This stage 2 efficacy clinical trial seeks to establish the effects of culturally and linguistically tailored speech-language interventions administered to bilingual individuals with PPA.

The overall aim of the intervention component of this study is to establish the relationships between the bilingual experience (e.g., how often each language is used, how "strong" each language is) and treatment response of bilinguals with PPA. Specifically, the investigators will evaluate the benefits of tailored speech-language intervention administered in both languages to bilingual individuals with PPA (60 individuals will be recruited). The investigators will conduct an assessment before treatment, after treatment and at two follow-ups (6 and 12-months post-treatment) in both languages. When possible, a structural scan of the brain (magnetic resonance image) will be collected before treatment in order to identify if brain regions implicated in bilingualism are associated with response to treatment. In addition to the intervention described herein, 30 bilingual individuals with PPA will be recruited to complete behavioral cognitive-linguistic testing and will not receive intervention. Results will provide important knowledge about the neural mechanisms of language re-learning and will address how specific characteristics of bilingualism influence cognitive reserve and linguistic resilience in PPA.

Being tested
Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA), Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT)
Keywords
Dementia, ADRD, Bilingualism, Multilingualism, Primary Progressive Aphasia, Bilingual Primary Progressive Aphasia, Cognitive Reserve, Language Decline, Bilingual Language Decline, Speech-Language Therapy, Bilingual Speech-Language Therapy, Spanish speakers, Spanish-Catalan Bilinguals, Spanish-English Bilinguals, Hispanic, Catalán, Catalan, Spanish, Castellano, Speech Therapy, Latino
Medical subject headings
Aphasia, Primary Progressive, Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, Alzheimer Disease, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration, Apraxias, Dysarthria

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA)Behavioural

    Also called Script training

    Participants with nonfluent/agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia (PPA) or a predominantly nonfluent profile work on producing personally relevant scripts of 4-6 sentences in length. Length and complexity of scripts are individually tailored. The participant completes two (one hour each) teletherapy sessions per week with a clinician targeting clear and accurate script production, script memorization, and conversational usage of scripts. The participant completes 30 minutes of independent, computer-based practice 5-7 times per week, during which they speak in unison with a video/audio model of a healthy speaker clearly articulating the scripts.

  • Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT)Behavioural

    Also called Naming intervention

    Participants with logopenic variant PPA, participants with semantic variant PPA, and participants with a predominantly anomic profile will work on producing spoken and written names of personally relevant target items using a self-cueing hierarchy. Treatment focuses on the use of strategies that capitalize on spared cognitive-linguistic abilities to support word retrieval. The participant completes two (one hour each) teletherapy sessions per week with a clinician plus 30 minutes of additional independent, computer-based practice exercises 5-7 times per week.

Study groups in NCT05741853
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Lexical Retrieval TrainingExperimentalNaming intervention for individuals with logopenic or semantic variant PPA.
Receives: Behavioral: Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA); Behavioral: Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT)
Video Implemented Script Training for AphasiaExperimentalScript training intervention for individuals with nonfluent/agrammatic PPA.
Receives: Behavioral: Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA); Behavioral: Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Percent correct intelligible words from trained/untrained scripts

    Percent of intelligible, scripted words for trained scripts and untrained scripts

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment

  2. Percent correct spoken naming of trained/untrained nouns

    Percent of correctly named trained pictured items and untrained pictured items

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment

Secondary outcomes (5)

  1. Aphasia Impact Questionnaire (AIQ)

    Patient reported outcome measure for use with people with aphasia comprising three sections: activities, participation and emotional state/wellbeing. Uses a 5 point pictorial rating scale. The minimum score is 0 (best) and the maximum is 4 (worst).

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, Post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset)

  2. Connected Speech Features: Type-token ratio

    Total number of unique words (types) divided by the total number of words (tokens) derived from connected speech samples (script topic probes, picture description, and personal narrative).

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, Post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), Post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment

  3. Connected Speech Features: Mean length of utterance

    Average number of words produced per utterance derived from connected speech samples (script topic probes, picture description, and personal narrative).

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, Post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), Post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment

  4. Acoustic Features: Articulation Rate

    Syllables per second of phonated time derived from connected speech samples (script topic probes, picture description, and personal narrative).

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, Post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), Post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment

  5. Acoustic Features: Speech-to-pause time

    Phonated time divided by pause time in the sample derived from connected speech samples (script topic probes, picture description, and personal narrative).

    Measured: Pre-phase 1, Post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), Post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted23 Feb 2023
  2. Study start1 May 2023
  3. Primary completion30 Nov 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Nov 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
60 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05741853
Sponsor's protocol ID
R01AG080470
Status last verified
Jun 2026
First submitted
3 Feb 2023
Last updated
10 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Data generated from this project will be shared via peer reviewed journal publications as well as through national and international conferences. All peer-reviewed manuscripts will be made available via PubMed Central, in adherence to the NIH Public Access Policy. Intervention protocols, de-identified summary data, and software code/scripts used for data analysis will be made publicly available upon publication of trial results. De-identified data from individual participants may be made available to the scientific community with approved data use and sharing agreements between the University of Texas, Hospital Sant Pau, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, and requesting institutions or entities, consistent with institution policy.

Publications

  • Klimova B, Maresova P, Valis M, Hort J, Kuca K. Alzheimer's disease and language impairments: social intervention and medical treatment. Clin Interv Aging. 2015 Aug 27;10:1401-7. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S89714. eCollection 2015.

    PubMed 26346123

  • Szatloczki G, Hoffmann I, Vincze V, Kalman J, Pakaski M. Speaking in Alzheimer's Disease, is That an Early Sign? Importance of Changes in Language Abilities in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci. 2015 Oct 20;7:195. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00195. eCollection 2015.

    PubMed 26539107

  • Mesulam MM. Slowly progressive aphasia without generalized dementia. Ann Neurol. 1982 Jun;11(6):592-8. doi: 10.1002/ana.410110607.

    PubMed 7114808

  • Montembeault M, Brambati SM, Gorno-Tempini ML, Migliaccio R. Clinical, Anatomical, and Pathological Features in the Three Variants of Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Review. Front Neurol. 2018 Aug 21;9:692. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00692. eCollection 2018.

    PubMed 30186225

  • Gorno-Tempini ML, Hillis AE, Weintraub S, Kertesz A, Mendez M, Cappa SF, Ogar JM, Rohrer JD, Black S, Boeve BF, Manes F, Dronkers NF, Vandenberghe R, Rascovsky K, Patterson K, Miller BL, Knopman DS, Hodges JR, Mesulam MM, Grossman M. Classification of primary progressive aphasia and its variants. Neurology. 2011 Mar 15;76(11):1006-14. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31821103e6. Epub 2011 Feb 16.

    PubMed 21325651

  • Carthery-Goulart MT, da Silveira ADC, Machado TH, Mansur LL, Parente MAMP, Senaha MLH, Brucki SMD, Nitrini R. Nonpharmacological interventions for cognitive impairments following primary progressive aphasia: a systematic review of the literature. Dement Neuropsychol. 2013 Jan-Mar;7(1):122-131. doi: 10.1590/S1980-57642013DN70100018.

    PubMed 29213828

  • Bialystok E, Craik FI, Freedman M. Bilingualism as a protection against the onset of symptoms of dementia. Neuropsychologia. 2007 Jan 28;45(2):459-64. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.10.009. Epub 2006 Nov 27.

    PubMed 17125807

  • Alladi S, Bak TH, Shailaja M, Gollahalli D, Rajan A, Surampudi B, Hornberger M, Duggirala V, Chaudhuri JR, Kaul S. Bilingualism delays the onset of behavioral but not aphasic forms of frontotemporal dementia. Neuropsychologia. 2017 May;99:207-212. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.03.021. Epub 2017 Mar 18.

    PubMed 28322905

  • Alladi S, Bak TH, Duggirala V, Surampudi B, Shailaja M, Shukla AK, Chaudhuri JR, Kaul S. Bilingualism delays age at onset of dementia, independent of education and immigration status. Neurology. 2013 Nov 26;81(22):1938-44. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000436620.33155.a4. Epub 2013 Nov 6.

    PubMed 24198291

  • de Leon J, Grasso SM, Welch A, Miller Z, Shwe W, Rabinovici GD, Miller BL, Henry ML, Gorno-Tempini ML. Effects of bilingualism on age at onset in two clinical Alzheimer's disease variants. Alzheimers Dement. 2020 Dec;16(12):1704-1713. doi: 10.1002/alz.12170. Epub 2020 Sep 3.

    PubMed 32881346

  • Costa AS, Jokel R, Villarejo A, Llamas-Velasco S, Domoto-Reilley K, Wojtala J, Reetz K, Machado A. Bilingualism in Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Retrospective Study on Clinical and Language Characteristics. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2019 Jan-Mar;33(1):47-53. doi: 10.1097/WAD.0000000000000288.

    PubMed 30640254

  • Grasso SM, Pena ED, Kazemi N, Mirzapour H, Neupane R, Bonakdarpour B, Gorno-Tempini ML, Henry ML. Treatment for Anomia in Bilingual Speakers with Progressive Aphasia. Brain Sci. 2021 Oct 20;11(11):1371. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11111371.

    PubMed 34827370

  • Grasso SM, Shuster KM, Henry ML. Comparing the effects of clinician and caregiver-administered lexical retrieval training for progressive anomia. Neuropsychol Rehabil. 2019 Jul;29(6):866-895. doi: 10.1080/09602011.2017.1339358. Epub 2017 Jun 30.

    PubMed 28662598

  • Henry ML, Hubbard HI, Grasso SM, Mandelli ML, Wilson SM, Sathishkumar MT, Fridriksson J, Daigle W, Boxer AL, Miller BL, Gorno-Tempini ML. Retraining speech production and fluency in non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia. Brain. 2018 Jun 1;141(6):1799-1814. doi: 10.1093/brain/awy101.

    PubMed 29718131

  • Henry ML, Hubbard HI, Grasso SM, Dial HR, Beeson PM, Miller BL, Gorno-Tempini ML. Treatment for Word Retrieval in Semantic and Logopenic Variants of Primary Progressive Aphasia: Immediate and Long-Term Outcomes. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2019 Aug 15;62(8):2723-2749. doi: 10.1044/2018_JSLHR-L-18-0144. Epub 2019 Aug 7.

    PubMed 31390290

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA) and Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT) in people with Primary Progressive Aphasia and Dementia, run by Stephanie Grasso at 3 sites in 2 countries.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in Spain, United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Camille Wagner Rodríguez, M.S., CCC-SLP (512-471-4119, wagner.camille@austin.utexas.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Percent correct intelligible words from trained/untrained scripts (time frame: Pre-phase 1, post-phase1/pre-phase 2 (4.5 weeks from treatment onset), post-phase 2 (9 weeks from treatment onset), 6 months and 1 year post-treatment). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05741853, which also lists 16 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Jun 2026.

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