Changes in Neuroplasticity Following Intensive Rehabilitation of Aphasia and/or Apraxia of Speech

October 30, 2024 updated by: Ellika Schalling, Karolinska Institutet

Evaluating the Effects of Intensive Speech and Language Rehabilitation Regarding Neuroplasticity, Speech, Language, Communication Skills and Quality of Life for People With Acquired Aphasia and/or Apraxia of Speech in the Chronic Phase

The present study aims to investigate the short- and long-term effects of two weeks of intensive speech-language pathology intervention with additional physiotherapy, on aphasia and apraxia of speech (AOS) and their neural correlates in thirty persons with chronic stroke. Changes are studied following intensive treatment of aphasia and AOS with standardised speech-language testing and testing of communication and with voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis and resting state functional connectivity (rsFC).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study explores structural and functional brain changes in relation to effects on speech, language, communication and quality of life following an intensive speech-language program with additional physiotherapy for persons with chronic aphasia and/or apraxia of speech. The participants are consecutively recruited from a rehabilitation centre providing intensive treatment for chronic conditions following stroke or other neurological injuries. The speech-language pathologists (SLPs) involved in the rehabilitation programs perform the testing directly before and after intensive intervention with an additional follow up after 16 weeks (+-2) with testing of speech-language, communication and quality of life. The SLPs have more than five years of experience of working with aphasia and are specialised in working with intensive treatment, they have acquired in-depth knowledge on how to evaluate and treat aphasia and apraxia of speech in lectures and workshops. The test procedure is recorded with camcorder and voice recorder to provide the opportunity to access data retrospectively and to minimize bias by including an external SLP who makes a second blinded evaluation on randomized participants' performance in ASRS, BNT and CAT by studying the video and voice material. Structural and functional neuroplasticity is also investigated with voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis, resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in domain-specific (language processing) and domain-general (executive and attention processing). This intensive neuro-rehabilitation program for speech and language deficits named Multimodal Intensive Rehabilitation for Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech (MIRAA) is defined as an ICAP (Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program) with focus on both speech and language function and communicative activity and participation. The program is intensive: consisting of ten days of training (5 hours/day), with a minimum of three hours dedicated to speech and language rehabilitation with additional physical therapy. The program includes both individual treatment, group therapy and computer-based therapy. The therapy is individually set up after the participant's goals together with the team including SLPs, physiotherapists and a board-certified neurologist and/or specialist in rehabilitation medicine. The goals are set by the participants, family members and clinicians the first day of the program. The participant and their significant other are offered education with the aim to enhance the knowledge on communication, the key concepts of neuroplasticity and other functions and strategies important in everyday life. The treatment methods being used are evidence-based and/or widely used multimodal programs covering the need for extensive training programs targeting both impairment-based therapy and functional communication. The specific questions are: Does ten days of with an intensive comprehensive aphasia/AOS program result in any clinical significant improvements in speech and/or language function and other cognitive skills for participants with chronic aphasia and/or apraxia of speech? Does the intensive intervention have any effect on the quality of everyday life concerning speech and language functions, activity and communicative participation for people with chronic aphasia and apraxia of speech? Can functional and anatomical brain changes be detected following ten days of intensive speech and language intervention for these participants?

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Sweden
      • Uppsala, Sweden, 141 86
        • Recruiting
        • Uppsala Universitet
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aphasia 7 months post stroke diagnosed by SLP
  • Apraxia of Speech 7 months post stroke diagnosed by SLP

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Dementia
  • Severe loss of sight
  • Severe loss of hearing
  • Metal implants (preventing fMRI)
  • Claustrophobia (preventing fMRI)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Multimodal Intensive Rehabilitation of Aphasia/AOS (MIRAA)
A minimum of 3 hour speech-language training daily during 10 days.
Behavioral: Multimodal Intensive Rehabilitation of Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech
Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia (ICAP) and Apraxia of Speech Program

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Comprehensive Aphasia Test (CAT) language battery, in pilot Swedish test A-ning.
Time Frame: Changes from baseline in language battery scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Comprehension of spoken language: minimum score 0, maximum score 66; Comprehension of written langugage: minimum score 0, maximum score 62; Repetition: minimum score 0, maximum score 74; Naming: minimum score 0, maximum score no limit; Reading: minimum score 0, maximum score 70; Writing: minimum score 0, maximum score 76. Higher scores mean better outcome in language functions.
Changes from baseline in language battery scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Rating scale for apraxia of speech (SkaFTA, Swedish version of ASRS)
Time Frame: Changes from baseline scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Minimum score 0, maximum score 52. Lower scores mean better outcome in speech functions.
Changes from baseline scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Communication Outcome After Stroke (COAST)
Time Frame: Changes from baseline scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Minimum score 0, maximum score 100. Higher scores mean better outcome in communication.
Changes from baseline scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Aphasia adapted GAS scales for self-evaluation of communication functions, participation and activity.
Time Frame: Changes from baseline at week 18.
Minimum score -2, maximum score +2. Higher scores mean better outcome in quality of life.
Changes from baseline at week 18.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Barrow Neurological Institute Screening for Higher Cerebral Function (BNIS)
Time Frame: Changes from baseline at week 2
Minimum score 0, maximum score 50. Higher scores mean better outcome in cognition.
Changes from baseline at week 2
Boston Naming Test (BNT)
Time Frame: Changes from baseline at week 2 and week 18.
Minimum score 0, maximum score 60. Higher scores mean better outcome in naming ability.
Changes from baseline at week 2 and week 18.
Protocol for Apraxia of Speech (TAX)
Time Frame: Changes from baseline at week 2 and week 18.
Minimum score 0, maximum score 30. Lower scores mean mean better outcome in speech functions and non verbal oral apraxia.
Changes from baseline at week 2 and week 18.
Comprehensive Aphasia Test (CAT), subtest cognitive screening
Time Frame: Changes from baseline in Comprehensive Aphasia Test cognitive screening scores at 2 and 18 weeks.
Minimum score 0, maximum score 38. Higher scores mean better outcome in cognitive functions.
Changes from baseline in Comprehensive Aphasia Test cognitive screening scores at 2 and 18 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Karolinska Institutet

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
University of Malaga

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ellika Schalling, Professor, Uppsala University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 2, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 11, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 23, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 27, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 31, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 30, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2016/1651-31

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

All individual patient data (IPD) that underlie results in a publication.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

2020-2030

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Swedish National Data Service open source http://snd.gu.se/sv/dashboard/data-description/0a1f0ee0-454e-4d66-b43f-b235bfe821a6#publications

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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