Intervention for Communication Quality of Life in Primary Progressive Aphasia

Intervention to Promote Communication Quality of Life for Persons With Language-Led Dementia and Their Partners: A Randomized Pilot Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a personalized, multi-component, virtual speech language treatment program can improve communication and quality of life for adults with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and their primary communication partners. The study will enroll participants who speak English and/or Spanish.

The main questions the study aims to answer are:

• Is the telerehabilitation program feasible and acceptable for people with PPA and their study partners?
• Do participants with PPA and study partners find treatment beneficial?
• What patterns of treatment response are seen in participants?
• Which outcome measures are most useful for evaluating changes in communication and quality of life?

Researchers will compare participants who receive intervention immediately to participants assigned to a waitlist control group (who will receive treatment after a delay) to see whether participation in the treatment program is associated with improvements in communication and quality of life.

Participants will:

• Take part in speech language therapy sessions delivered by video visit that combine restorative, compensatory, and partner-focused communication strategies. Treatment may take place after a waiting period.
• Receive education and communication training together with their partner.
• Complete speech, language, and cognitive assessments.
• Complete questionnaires about communication abilities, daily functioning, and quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria for Persons with PPA:

• A PPA (Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011) or "PPA-plus" (Mesulam et al., 2001) diagnosis
• MMSE score of 15 or higher and must be able to produce single monosyllabic words intelligibly
• Must speak English, Spanish or both languages (i.e., bilingual speakers of English or Spanish)
• Hearing and vision adequate for participation in teleconference meetings
• Must have a study partner available (someone who will commit to attending teleconference sessions, as needed, during assessment and treatment phases)

Inclusion criteria for Care Partners:

• Partners must express willingness to attend and participate in assessment and treatment sessions, including those targeting dyadic communication goals
• Partners must speak English, Spanish or both languages (i.e., bilingual speakers of English or Spanish)
• Partner's hearing and vision should be adequate for participation in teleconference meetings

The participant and/or study partner must have basic experience using a computer.

Exclusion criteria for persons with PPA:

• Other central nervous system or medical diagnosis that can account for symptoms
• Psychiatric diagnosis that can account for symptoms