Anomia Therapy and Executive Function Training in Chronic Post-stroke Aphasia: Pilot Study of Multidimensional Effects

Combining Anomia Therapy and Executive Function Training in Chronic Post-stroke Aphasia: a Pilot Study of Multidimensional Effects

The goal of this clinical trial is to measure the effects of a speech therapy protocol combining anomia therapy and executive function training on naming and discourse in people with chronic aphasia, and to study the related brain changes.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the protocol improve naming skills ?
• Do the improvements observed transfer to discourse abilities ?
• Are there any brain changes induced by this protocol ?

Researchers will compare anomia therapy alone to anomia therapy + executive function training to see if the latter works better.

Participants will:

• Have a whole language assessment and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan in the hospital before and after the protocol
• Receive 18 sessions of the protocol, 3 times a week during 6 weeks, in the hospital
• Have several naming assessments during the protocol

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (18-80 years old) with post-stroke aphasia (> 6 months post-stroke)
• Participant or legal representative able to understand the aims of the study
• Participant or legal representative who have signed an informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

• Aphasia with severe anarthria (mutism), comprehension disorders or alexia, incompatible with the purpose of the study
• Contraindications for MRI
• History of head trauma, brain tumor, neurodegenerative disease, or any other neurological or psychiatric condition
• Non-affiliation to social welfare