Disentangling Aphasic Syndromes In Alzheimer's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,936.00
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease, the main cause of disability in older Australians, can present with diverse and complex manifestations. Language disturbances are not entirely characterised and raises diagnostic difficulties. By development of novel clinical tools and cutting-edge structural brain imaging, this project aims to refine the spectrum of language disturbances, analyse the pattern of brain atrophy and investigate susceptibility factors across Alzheimer's presentations.
Speech Impairment In Frontotemporal Dementia And Primary Progressive Aphasia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$50,888.00
Summary
This research project aims to inform our understanding of the characteristics and trajectory of speech difficulties in frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia, two forms of younger onset dementia. Understanding the changes to speech that occur will assist with the early diagnosis of these disorders and improve measurement of disease progression. Findings will positively influence patient care through the identification of treatment targets and improved knowledge of prognosis.
COMPARE- Constraint Induced Or Multi-Modal Aphasia Rehabilitation: An RCT Of Therapy For Stroke Related Chronic Aphasia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,035,668.00
Summary
COMPARE is a 3 arm national randomised controlled trial comparing two types of intensive speech pathology treatment to usual care, for people with language disability 6 months to 3 years following stroke. After stratification by aphasia severity, participants are randomised to Multi-modality Aphasia Therapy, Constraint Induced Aphasia Therapy, or usual care. Cognitive, language, and speech assessments at baseline will enable sophisticated predictors of treatment responsiveness to be defined.
Aphasia is a devastating language and communication disorder that occurs in up to 40% of all stroke patients and often results in lifelong disability. This project will determine whether individuals who listen to music daily in addition to receiving usual care, show a better recovery of language than those who only receive usual care. The effect of music listening on cognition, depression, and brain structure and function will be investigated to identify how music stimulates language recovery.
Very Early Rehabilitation In SpEech: An RCT Of Aphasia Therapy After Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$742,000.00
Summary
Aphasia affects one in three stroke survivors. It interferes with talking, understanding speech, reading and writing. Aphasia is devastating. Research suggests that very early aphasia therapy improves recovery of talking and understanding. However, over 70% of people with aphasia do not get very early treatment. This study promotes a “use it” or “lose it” approach to brain recovery and aims to show that very early aphasia therapy is beneficial and cost effective.
Optimising Speech Assessment And Treatment In Frontotemporal Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$722,210.00
Summary
Frontotemporal dementia has a devastating impact on our ability to speak and understand others. This proposal aims to improve our understanding of how to best assess, diagnose and treat these debilitating impairments. By bringing together an international consortium of clinics, these findings will lead to significant advances in our understanding of disease progression and patient care.
Up to 40% of stroke survivors have aphasia (disturbance or loss of language) and of these, 60% will still be aphasic 12 months post-onset. Up until now, it has not been possible to predict aphasia recovery or response to treatment. This research will use clinical measures and brain imaging to develop better predictors of aphasia recovery.