Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether individually tailored speech-language telerehabilitation helps improve communication in people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a form of dementia that affects speech and language. The study will be offered to individuals who speak English and/or Spanish. The study will also document how acceptable and beneficial the program is to both patients and their care partners.

The main questions the study aims to answer are:

1. Is the telerehabilitation program feasible and acceptable for people with PPA and their care partners?
2. Do participants with PPA and care partners find treatment beneficial?
3. Which outcome measures are most useful for evaluating changes in communication and quality of life?
4. What patterns of treatment response are seen in participants after completing the program?

The program includes both speech-language therapy and training for care partners.

Participants with PPA will:

1. Complete virtual communication tasks and questionnaires before and after the program
2. Take part in online speech-language therapy sessions
3. Include their care partners in some parts of the program for training and support

Eligibility

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 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 care partner available (someone who will commit to attending teleconference sessions weekly during treatment phases)

Inclusion criteria for Care Partners:

• Partners must express willingness to attend and participate in 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

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