Primary progressive aphasia
MONDO:0019806Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by a primary dissolution of language, with relative sparing of other mental faculties for at least the first 2 years of illness. PPA is recognized as the language variant in the frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum of disorders. PPA can be classified into 3 subtypes based on specific speech and language features: semantic dementia (SD), progressive non-fluent aphasia (PNFA) and logopenic progressive aphasia (lv-PPA).
Also known as: Mesulam syndrome, PPA, primary progressive aphasia syndrome
71 clinical trials for this condition and its sub-types, 42 tagged with Primary progressive aphasia itself.
Follow this condition to get notified about new trialsWhere it sits in the disease tree
Browse by category →Sub-types of Primary progressive aphasia
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GRN-related frontotemporal lobar degeneration with Tdp43 inclusions 6 trials · 47 incl. sub-types
1 sub-type
- Progressive non-fluent aphasia 23 trials · 44 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
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Logopenic progressive aphasia 15 trials
Most studied deeper sub-types
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Gene therapy infused directly into brain aims to halt rare dementia
Disease control Recruiting nowThis early-phase trial tests a gene therapy called AVB-101 for people with frontotemporal dementia caused by GRN gene mutations. The therapy delivers a working copy of the GRN gene directly into the brain during a one-time procedure. The study will enroll 18 adults aged 30-75 to …
Phase 1/2 • Sponsor: AviadoBio Ltd • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Aug 15, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Could zapping the brain help people with Alzheimer's speak better?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests whether a gentle electrical current applied to specific brain areas can boost the effects of language therapy in people with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA), a form of Alzheimer's that mainly affects language. Sixty participants will receive…
Sponsor: Johns Hopkins University • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Sep 11, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Shock therapy at home? new trial tests brain zaps for speech loss
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests whether combining home-based brain stimulation (tDCS) with virtual speech therapy can improve communication in adults with primary progressive aphasia, a language disorder often caused by Alzheimer's disease. Eighty participants will receive either active or plac…
Sponsor: Maya Henry • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Sep 06, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Can retraining word meanings restore lost speech?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests whether a specialized speech therapy that focuses on word meanings can help people with mild-to-moderate semantic aphasia—a condition where brain damage impairs understanding and use of words. Participants first undergo a control period of standard language exerc…
Sponsor: University Hospital, Toulouse • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Music before bed may ease Alzheimer's agitation, new study hopes
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis pilot study tests whether listening to music in the evening can help people with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders fall asleep faster and behave more calmly. Researchers will compare music therapy to audiobooks in 48 adults living in secure care units. The goal is to …
Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Aug 05, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Could a common heart drug help slow language loss in dementia?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis early-phase trial tests whether propranolol, a drug typically used for high blood pressure, can improve language abilities and reduce anxiety in older adults with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). PPA is a type of dementia that gradually impairs speech and language, and the…
Early phase 1 • Sponsor: University of Missouri-Columbia • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jul 19, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Zapping the brain to save words: new hope for PPA?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests whether mild electrical or sensory stimulation can improve short-term memory for words in people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a condition that slowly damages language areas of the brain. Twenty participants will receive real or fake stimulation while d…
Sponsor: Medical College of Wisconsin • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 14:00 UTC
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Bilingual brain boost: new therapy targets language loss in dementia
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests a speech therapy program for bilingual Spanish-English or Spanish-Catalan speakers with primary progressive aphasia, a condition that slowly damages language abilities. Sixty participants will receive personalized script training via video sessions, while 30 othe…
Sponsor: Stephanie Grasso • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 13:08 UTC
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Zap your brain to sharper thinking? new trial tests TIS for memory loss
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called temporal interference stimulation (TIS) to see if it can improve cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease. Sixty participants will receive either real TIS or a sham …
Sponsor: Tianjin Huanhu Hospital • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 13:08 UTC
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New support program aims to help spanish-speaking families facing progressive aphasia
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests an educational support group program for people with progressive aphasia (a language disorder caused by Alzheimer's or other dementias) and their carepartners. The program includes group education, support sessions, and communication skills training. Researchers …
Early phase 1 • Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 13:06 UTC
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Can speech therapy help those losing their words? new trial aims to find out
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests two types of speech therapy for adults with mild-to-moderate primary progressive aphasia, a condition that slowly impairs language. Researchers will compare the therapies in 200 participants to see which better improves communication and reduces caregiver burden.…
Phase 2 • Sponsor: University of Chicago • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 13:00 UTC
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Could a mild zap to the brain help you find your words?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis Phase II trial tests whether a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique called tDCS, combined with language therapy, can improve word-finding in people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The study enrolls 180 adults aged 50–90 with certain types of PPA. Participan…
Phase 2 • Sponsor: Johns Hopkins University • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:29 UTC
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New virtual therapy aims to help dementia patients communicate better with loved ones
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests a personalized, virtual speech therapy program for people with primary progressive aphasia (a type of dementia that affects language) and their communication partners. The goal is to see if the program improves communication and quality of life. About 30 particip…
Sponsor: Maya Henry • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:23 UTC
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Can zapping the brain slow language decline? new trial investigates
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests whether two types of non-invasive brain stimulation—TMS and tDCS—can slow language decline in people with primary progressive aphasia, a condition that gradually impairs speech and understanding. Over 6 months, 80 participants will receive either real or sham sti…
Sponsor: Hospital San Carlos, Madrid • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:23 UTC
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Can online speech therapy help slow language loss in dementia?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests personalized speech therapy delivered online for people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a condition that slowly destroys language skills. Researchers will enroll 30 adults with mild PPA and tailor exercises to their specific variant. The goal is to see if…
Sponsor: Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 09:07 UTC
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Can magnetic pulses ease frontotemporal dementia?
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study is testing whether a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique called rTMS can help people with frontotemporal dementia (FTLD) or those at risk. 120 participants will receive either real or placebo stimulation for 2 weeks, then all will get real stimulation. Resea…
Sponsor: Università degli Studi di Brescia • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:08 UTC
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New video program aims to ease the burden on FTD family caregivers
Symptom relief Recruiting nowThis study tests a video-based program called STELLA-FTD that helps family members caring for a loved one with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The program teaches caregivers how to manage difficult behaviors and connect with community resources. Researchers will enroll 640 caregiv…
Sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 07:56 UTC
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New study seeks to uncover links between ALS and dementia
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study screens 360 adults with neurodegenerative disorders like ALS, frontotemporal dementia, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Researchers will use medical history, physical exams, memory tests, movement analysis, MRI scans, and other tests to find common features and diff…
Sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Sep 19, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Can a blood bank unlock the genetics of brain disease?
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowResearchers at the University of Pennsylvania are building a large repository of blood, DNA, and family history data from people with age-related brain diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS, as well as their family members. The goal is to support studies into the geneti…
Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Sep 03, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Can a magnetic helmet sharpen memory in early Alzheimer's?
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study tests whether a non-invasive technique called repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) can improve memory and brain function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's. Over 30 participants will receive both real and sham (placebo) s…
Early phase 1 • Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:29 UTC
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Brain scans and speech tests could unlock mystery of rare speech disorder
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study at Mayo Clinic looks at two different types of Progressive Apraxia of Speech, a condition that makes it hard to speak clearly. Researchers will use brain scans, speech assessments, and thinking tests in 47 adults to better tell these types apart. The goal is to improve…
Sponsor: Mayo Clinic • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:28 UTC
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Scientists track how language fades in rare brain disease
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study follows 500 people with primary progressive aphasia, a condition that slowly damages the brain's language areas. Researchers will use brain scans and language tests to map how the disease progresses over time. The goal is to better understand the disease, not to test a…
Sponsor: Northwestern University • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 09:08 UTC
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Massive brain disease database aims to unlock secrets of Alzheimer's and ALS
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study collects information and samples from 1,000 people with or at risk for brain diseases like Alzheimer's, ALS, and frontotemporal degeneration. Researchers will track changes in thinking, language, and brain scans over time. The goal is to build a resource for future stu…
Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:13 UTC
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Blood test may predict Dementia's path
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study is looking for 500 people with early dementia or mild cognitive impairment to help develop a way to predict how their disease will progress. Researchers will use blood tests and other models to better understand each person's outlook. The goal is to give patients and d…
Sponsor: University Health Network, Toronto • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 07:58 UTC
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New brain scan study aims to unravel mysteries of speech disorder
Knowledge-focused Recruiting nowThis study uses advanced brain scans, including a special PET tracer called AV-1451, to track changes in the brains of 50 people with progressive apraxia of speech (a disorder that affects the ability to coordinate speech movements). Researchers at Mayo Clinic will compare these …
Phase 4 • Sponsor: Mayo Clinic • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 07:57 UTC