Language in Primary Progressive Aphasia
February 24, 2026 updated by: Marsel Mesulam, Northwestern University
Asymmetric Neurodegeneration and Language in Primary Progressive Aphasia
The purpose of this study is to further define the neurological and linguistic deterioration in primary progressive aphasia.
Study Overview
Status
Recruiting
Conditions
Detailed Description
The Language in Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) aims to understand the behavioral, anatomical and physiological changes in people with PPA throughout the course of the illness. The researchers in this study want to increase awareness of PPA, educate others about this unique disorder, and to encourage more research to eventually develop therapies.
During the three-day research program, participants will be asked to undergo neuropsychological testing (paper and pencil tests that evaluate cognition), advanced imaging (MRI and PET), cognitive experiments, and other computer and language testing batteries. Participants may be asked to return every two years to complete the same measures.
For participants not living near Chicago, IL, flights and accommodations (for both the person with PPA and their companion) will be covered by the study.
Study Type
Observational
Enrollment (Estimated)
500
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
- Name: Elizabeth A Haynes
- Phone Number: 312-503-2398
- Email: PPA.Research@northwestern.edu
Study Locations
-
-
Illinois
-
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
- Recruiting
- Northwestern University
-
Principal Investigator:
- M.-Marsel Mesulam, MD
-
Contact:
- Seyi Adeolu
- Phone Number: 312-503-2398
- Email: PPA.Research@northwestern.edu
-
-
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
Ages Eligible for Study
- Child
- Adult
- Older Adult
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Sampling Method
Non-Probability Sample
Study Population
Participants with PPA will be recruited from the Northwestern University Alzheimer's Disease Center Core registry, the Northwestern University Neurobehavior and Memory Clinic, and from those who contact the center that are interested in PPA research.
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia
- Right-handed
- Native English speaker
- Visual acuity of 20/30 corrected
- Adequate hearing to follow conversation
- Safe for an MRI scan
Exclusion Criteria:
- Left-handedness
- Claustrophobia
- Presence of significant medical illness that initially or in the future could interfere with continued participation in the study
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
- Observational Models: Cohort
- Time Perspectives: Prospective
Cohorts and Interventions
Group / Cohort |
|---|
|
PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia)
Individuals with primary progressive aphasia
|
|
Control
Individuals with no diagnosis of any type of dementia
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Time Frame |
|---|---|
|
Neuropsychological variables
Time Frame: Immediately after testing and at two years post-testing
|
Immediately after testing and at two years post-testing
|
Collaborators and Investigators
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
Sponsor
Collaborators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Marsel Mesulam, MD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Publications and helpful links
The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.
General Publications
- Mesulam MM, Coventry C, Kuang A, Bigio EH, Mao Q, Flanagan ME, Gefen T, Sridhar J, Geula C, Zhang H, Weintraub S, Rogalski EJ. Memory Resilience in Alzheimer Disease With Primary Progressive Aphasia. Neurology. 2021 Feb 9;96(6):e916-e925. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011397. Epub 2021 Jan 13.
- Mesulam MM. Slowly progressive aphasia without generalized dementia. Ann Neurol. 1982 Jun;11(6):592-8. doi: 10.1002/ana.410110607.
- Weintraub S, Rubin NP, Mesulam MM. Primary progressive aphasia. Longitudinal course, neuropsychological profile, and language features. Arch Neurol. 1990 Dec;47(12):1329-35. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1990.00530120075013.
Helpful Links
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)
May 1, 2007
Primary Completion (Estimated)
April 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
April 1, 2027
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
September 26, 2007
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
September 26, 2007
First Posted (Estimated)
September 28, 2007
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
February 27, 2026
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
February 24, 2026
Last Verified
February 1, 2026
More Information
Terms related to this study
Keywords
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Neurologic Manifestations
- Brain Diseases
- Central Nervous System Diseases
- Nervous System Diseases
- Mental Disorders
- Metabolic Diseases
- Neurobehavioral Manifestations
- Neurocognitive Disorders
- Dementia
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- TDP-43 Proteinopathies
- Proteostasis Deficiencies
- Communication Disorders
- Language Disorders
- Speech Disorders
- Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms
- Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases
- Signs and Symptoms
- Aphasia
- Frontotemporal Dementia
- Aphasia, Primary Progressive
- Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
- Primary Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia
Other Study ID Numbers
- IA0125
- R01AG077444 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
No
product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.
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.