Primary Progressive Aphasia Multicomponent Language Treatment Study

Establishing Evidence-based Multicomponent Treatment for Speech and Language in Primary Progressive Aphasia

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a speech-language telerehabilitation helps improve communication in people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a form of dementia that affects speech and language. The study will also document how acceptable and helpful the program is for both patients and their care partners.

The main questions the study aims to answer are:

1. Is the telerehabilitation program feasible and acceptable for people with PPA and their care partners?
2. Do participants with PPA and care partners report satisfaction with the program?
3. Which outcome measures are most useful for evaluating changes in communication and quality of life?
4. What patterns of treatment response are seen in participants after completing the program?

Researchers will test the program in a small group of participants to see how people respond. The program includes both speech-language therapy and training for care partners.

Participants will:

• Take part in online speech-language therapy sessions
• Complete communication tasks and questionnaires before and after the program
• Have regular virtual check-ins with the research team
• Include their care partners in some parts of the program for training and support

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meets diagnostic criteria for Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA; Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011)
• Scores of 10 or higher on the Mini-Mental State Examination
• Has a study partner who can consistently attend sessions

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other neurological or psychiatric diagnosis that may contribute to cognitive-linguistic deficits
• Significant, uncorrected visual or hearing impairment that would interfere with participation
• Score of less than 10 on the Mini-Mental State Examination
• Prominent initial non-speech-language impairment (cognitive, behavioral, motoric)