A phase 2 clinical trial evaluating a telehealth therapy intervention for primary progressive aphasia (PPA) published positive results, with participants showing improvement in PPA’s communication-related symptoms.

The Communication Bridge 2 clinical trial was launched to evaluate whether a specially developed speech therapy regimen could help mitigate PPA symptoms. The trial evaluated the ability of standard impairment-focused therapy and the more person-oriented Communication Bridge 2 therapy to repair disrupted speech processes. Both therapies were administered through telehealth platforms.

“Unfortunately, intervention options for people living with PPA have been limited. This trial and related research aims to change that landscape,” said first author Emily Rogalski, PhD, a neurology professor at the University of Chicago. “The video chat approach allowed for enrollment globally across four countries and multiple states in the U.S.”

A total of 95 dyads, comprising persons diagnosed with PPA and their care partners, participated in the study. A control group received standard therapy, while an experimental group underwent Communication Bridge 2 therapy.

Communication Bridge 2 Helped People with PPA Better Manage Symptoms

Participating dyads developed personalized goals centered on communication participation, emphasizing collaboration with the specialist providing the therapy. The specialists also helped participants develop plans and strategies to reduce barriers to communication.

In the published results of the study, the authors write that while both cohorts of dyads showed improvements after 12 months, the participants who received the Communication Bridge 2 therapy showed consistently better results. The goals that many participants set for themselves – and, in many cases, reached – were deeply personal: one person with PPA gave a speech at their child’s wedding, while another resumed going to their friends’ dinner parties.

“This trial offers the next-level, gold-standard evidence for a pragmatic intervention to improve quality of life for people affected by PPA,” AFTD Senior Director of Scientific Initiatives Penny Dacks, PhD, told the University of Chicago Medicine. “Seeing people with FTD experience quantifiable gains towards goals that matter to them is a real source of hope, and a reminder to us all that some of the most important treatments can be non-pharmacological.”

Dr. Rogalski of the University of Chicago is leading a session on Communication Bridge at the 2025 AFTD Education Conference, taking place on May 2. You can attend the session virtually – visit the Education Conference webpage to learn more and register.

Dr. Rogalski’s team plans to advance the personalized intervention through the clinical trial process and is now recruiting participants for Communication Bridge 3. If you or a loved one is interested in enrolling, visit the Communication Bridge page on the University of Chicago’s website. If you have questions or concerns about trial participation, contact AFTD’s HelpLine at 1-866-507-7222 or info@theaftd.org.

The FTD Disorders Registry can keep you up to date on the latest clinical trials, and can connect you with other ways to participate in research. Visit the Find a Study page on the Registry website to find more opportunities to participate.