Brain stimulation and language therapy for primary progressive aphasia
Tests brain stimulation, with or without language therapy, in adults with primary progressive aphasia.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Long Term Effect of Brain Stimulation in PPA
Key facts
- Where
- Madrid, SpainSee the site
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults with primary progressive aphasia, a slowly worsening loss of language. It tests brain stimulation together with language therapy.
- Age
- 18 years or older
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- Primary progressive aphasia of the non-fluent, semantic or logopenic type, with language problems as the main deficit. Clinical Dementia Rating scale of 1 or less.
- Earlier treatment
- If taking antiepileptic drugs, diazepam-type drugs, donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, memantine, SSRIs or drugs that lower the seizure threshold, the dose must have been stable for at least 3 months.
- Biomarker or test result
- The type of aphasia must be supported by a brain scan (FDG-PET or MRI).
Main reasons for not taking part
- Another condition that could cause the language problem
- History of epilepsy or epileptic activity on EEG
- Metal in the body that reacts to magnets, pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Terminal illness or active cancer
- Another clinical trial within the previous 4 months
Read by machine on 9 November 2026.
Where in Spain
- Hospital Clínico San CarlosMadrid, SpainTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Hospital San Carlos, Madrid
- Trial code
- NCT07158216
- Record updated
- 23 April 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in the progression of primary progressive aphasia for 6 months. We will compare three modalities of brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS, TMS+tDCS) against sham stimulation. All patients will receive also language therapy.Read full original descriptionShow less
Long-term Effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Primary Progressive Aphasia: Randomized, Double-blind Clinical Trial (RECONNECT-PLUS)
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in the progression of primary progressive aphasia for 6 months. We will compare three modalities of brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS, TMS+tDCS) against sham stimulation. All patients will receive also language therapy.
Inclusion: Diagnosis of PPA according to the current consensus criteria proposed by Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011), based on the presence of progressive language impairment as the most prominent and primary cause of functional decline and the exclusion of other medical, psychiatric, or non-neurodegenerative causes,a s well as early prominent memory, visuoperceptual or behavioral disturbances; Diagnosis of one of the three variants of PPA (non-fluent, semantic, or logopenic) according to the consensus criteria (Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011), based on the language profile and supported by neuroimaging (FDG-PET or MRI); Clinical Dementia Rating scale equal or less than 1; The language impairment is the main neurological deficit for the patient.
Exclusion: Participation in another clinical trial within the previous 4 months; Chronic use of medications that could affect study outcomes; Antiepileptic drugs: allowed if on stable doses for at least 3 months before inclusion. If needed during the study due to seizure occurrence, they may be added; Diazepam and derivatives: permitted only if on stable doses for at least 3 months before inclusion. Dose adjustments during the study are allowed; Donepezil, Galantamine, Rivastigmine, and Memantine: allowed if on stable doses for at least 3 months before inclusion; SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors): permitted only if on stable doses for at least 3 months prior to inclusion. If necessary during the study, they may be added; Medications that may lower the seizure threshold (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics): allowed if on stable doses for at least 3 months before inclusion; Patient diagnosed with a condition other than PPA that could cause language impairment; History of epilepsy or presence of focal epileptiform pathology on EEG recording; ·Contraindications related to the treatments or procedures to be used (TMS and tDCS), such as ferromagnetic material, pregnancy, or breastfeeding; Terminal illness or active malignancy; Major psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or personality disorders); Alcohol or substance abuse within the past year; Absolute inability to communicate (mutism), or poor command of the language that, in the investigator's judgment, would prevent participation in the study; Severity of PPA that prevents participation in interventions or assessments at the time of inclusion.