CB3 Pilot (Communication Bridge: A Person-centered Internet-based Intervention for Individuals With Primary Progressive Aphasia)

The University of Chicago

Status: Completed

Conditions: Primary Progressive Aphasia; Alzheimer Disease; Communication; Dementia; Aphasia

Treatments: Behavioral: Communication Bridge™

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05697380

2R56AG055425-06 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

IRB23-1333

R01AG055425 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will evaluate evidence-based treatments for adults with mild Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). The aim of the study is to help identify efficacious communication and quality of life interventions for those with PPA and their care-partners.

Participants with a diagnosis of PPA and their actively-engaged care partners will be involved in the study for 12 months. Each participant will receive a iPad equipped with the necessary applications and features for the study. Participants will complete evaluations, speech therapy sessions with a speech and language therapist, and sessions with a licensed social worker or related clinician. They will have access to Communication Bridge, a personalized web application to practice home exercises that reinforce treatment strategies. There are no costs to participate in this study.

Full description

This study will evaluate evidence-based treatments for adults with mild Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). The aim of the study is to help identify efficacious communication and quality of life interventions for those with PPA and their care-partners.

Participants with a diagnosis of PPA and their actively-engaged care partners will be involved in the study for 12 months. Each participant will receive a iPad equipped with the necessary applications and features for the study. Participants will complete evaluations, speech therapy sessions with a speech and language therapist, and sessions with a licensed social worker or related clinician. They will have access to Communication Bridge, a personalized web application to practice home exercises that reinforce treatment strategies. There are no costs to participate in this study.

Enrollment: 8 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 100 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria (person with PPA):

1. Meets diagnostic criteria for PPA based on neurologist and supporting medical assessments (extracted from medical records)
2. English as primary language used in daily communication activities (by self-report)
3. Adequate hearing (aided or unaided) for communicating with others in a crowded room (by self-report)
4. Adequate vision (aided or unaided) for reading a newspaper, or other functional materials (by self-report)
5. Able to pass technology screening and demonstrates sufficient knowledge for use of video conference and Communication Bridge™ web application use (with or without training)

Exclusion Criteria:

• A dementia diagnosis other than Primary Progressive Aphasia
• Participation is co-enrolled in an outside speech language therapy program during the study course.
• Communication partners will be excluded if they have a pre-existing communication impairment that would affect study participation (e.g., aphasia, dementia) Medical records may be requested and reviewed to determine eligibility.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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8 participants in 1 patient group

Experimental: Communication Bridge™

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive Communication Bridge™, a multi-component, participation-focused, dyadic intervention in which both the person with PPA and their co-enrolled communication partner are intervention recipients. Communication Bridge™ is modelled on the Living with Aphasia: Framework for Outcome Measurement (A-FROM) and the Care Pathway Model that was developed for persons living with primary progressive aphasia. Consistent with participation-focused intervention models personally salient training stimuli are incorporated into all therapy activities in the Experimental arm.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Communication Bridge™