We are conducting a research study to determine how the brain responds to language treatment. We want to investigate:
1) differences in language progress depending on the intensity of your treatment and
2) how language training produces changes in brain activation
You will be asked to do one or more of the following:
- Participate in three-four separate testing sessions where we look carefully at your language skills before treatment and over time.
- Participate in one or two 30-hour treatment sessions. Each treatment session will meet for three hours, every day for two weeks. You will have a five-week break in between sessions. Individuals and groups will be supervised or led by Jennifer Mozeiko, PhD, CCC-SLP or Carl Coelho, PhD, CCC-SLP both Connecticut-licensed speech-language pathologists.
- Record your language at home before and/or after treatment.
- If you qualify, you may also be asked to participate in three to four separate fMRI scans at UConn’s Brain Imaging Research Center. Each session will last about 90 minutes, including about 30 minutes of preparation time, and about one hour of scan time.
You qualify if you:
1) Are an individual with aphasia, primary progressive aphasia, or language deficits resulting from acquired brain injury and you are looking to improve your verbal-spoken language.
2) Can make arrangements for transportation for all assessments and treatment sessions to the UConn Speech and Language Clinic or a mutually agreeable location on three-four separate days before and after language treatment.
3) Are safe to go in the MRI scanner. If you are interested in this study, we will review a screening form with you to make
sure it is safe for you to receive an MRI.
Benefits: Intensive language treatments have been demonstrated as being effective in increasing the verbal skills of many people with aphasia but the exact parameters of an intensive regimen remain unknown and not all treatment types have yet been tested. We will change various aspects of the treatment to determine how to maximize language gains. In addition, we hope to learn more about how the brain changes after language treatment, which may help other patients in the future.
Participants will be reimbursed for their travel at a rate of $10/day (excepting treatment days). In addition, participants will be paid $25/hr. for each FMRI scan and $15/hr. for any training for the scan. Those who wear recording devices will be paid an additional $25/day.
Please Contact:
Jennifer Mozeiko, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: Jennifer.mozeiko@uconn.edu
Website: http://aphasia-rehab.slhs.uconn.edu/
Phone: 860-420-9828
UConn IRB protocol: HR10-124
For more information, contact: Jennifer Mozeiko at jennifer.mozeiko@uconn.edu