Primary Progressive Aphasia
The goal of our research was to determine whether using Augmentative and Alternative Communication technology improves conversation in everyday settings for individuals with primary progressive aphasia. We have developed several applications that are accessed through personal tablets at home.
We are no longer conducting research into PPA. Active research is underway by Dr. Allison Lindauer and Aimee Mooney.
For more information about primary progressive aphasia, please contact Aimee Mooney, M.S., CCC-SLP/L
Our research on primary progressive aphasia
Grant abstracts
Here you will find short descriptions of the grants that we have completed on primary progressive aphasia. Learn more about the current research being done by Dr. Allison Lindauer and Aimee Mooney.
Publications
Writing papers about our work is an important part of the research process. The papers you will find here have been included in conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals:
- Mooney, A., Bravo, M., Roberts, A., Salley, E., Blaze, E., Esparza, M., ... & Rogalski, E. (2022). Use and Perceived Effectiveness of Communication Modes Reported by Persons with Primary Progressive Aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1-8.
- Roberts, A.C., Rademaker, A.W., Salley, E., Mooney, A., Morhardt, D., Fried-Oken, M.,…&Rogalski, E. (2021) Communication BridgeTM-2 (CB2): A NIH Stage 2 randomized control trial of a speech-language intervention for communication impairments in individuals with mild to moderate primary progressive aphasia.
- Rogalski, E., Roberts, A., Salley, E., Saxon, M., Fought, A., Esparza, M., Blaze, E., Coventry, C., Mesulam, M.M., Weintraub, S. and Mooney, A. (2021). Communication partner engagement: A relevant factor for functional outcomes in speech language therapy for aphasic dementia. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences.
- Khayum, R., & Mooney, A. R. (2020). A Practical Roadmap for Navigating Person-Centered Evaluation and Treatment. Neurogenic Communication Disorders and the Life Participation Approach: The Social Imperative in Supporting Individuals and Families, 131.
- Fried-Oken, M. (2018). Person-centered approaches to communication participation and engagement for individuals with primary progressive aphasia and dementia. Seminars in Speech & Language, 39(3): 195-196.
- Mooney, A., Beale, N., Fried-Oken, M., (2018). Group Communication Treatment for Individuals with PPA and Their Partners. Seminars in Speech and Language, 39(3), 257-269
- Mooney, A., Bedrick, S., Noethe, G., Spaulding, S., & Fried-Oken, M. (2018). Mobile technology to support lexical retrieval during activity retell in primary progressive aphasia. Aphasiology, 32(6), 666-692.
- Fried-Oken, M., Mooney, A., &Peters, B. (2015) Supporting communication for patients with neurodegenerative disease. Neurorehabilitation. 37(1), 69-87.
- Fried-Oken, M., Daniels, D., Ettinger, O., Mooney, A., Noethe, G., &Rowland, C. (2015). What's on your mind? conversations topics chosen by people with degenerative cognitive-linguistic disorders for communication boards. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 24(2), 272-280.
- Fried-Oken, M., Beukelman, D., &Hux, K. (2012). Current and future AAC research considerations for adults with acquired cognitive and communication impairments. Assistive Technology, 24, 56-66. PMC # 3760684.
- Fried-Oken, M., Rowland C., &Gibbons, C. (2010). Providing augmentative and alternative communication treatment to persons with progressive nonfluent aphasia. Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and LanguageDisorders. Rockville, MD: ASHA. 21-25.
- Fried-Oken, M. (2008). Augmentative and alternative communication treatment for persons with primary progressive aphasia. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Rockville, MD: ASHA. 99-104.
- Fox, L.E., Sohlberg, M.M., &Fried-Oken, M. (2001). Effects of conversational topic choice on outcomes of augmentative communication intervention for adults with aphasia. Aphasiology, 15(2), 171-200.
- Fox, L. &Fried-Oken, M. (1996). AAC Aphasiology: partnership for future research. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 12(4), 257-271.
Presentations
Every year our diverse team attends conferences around the country and presents the important work we are doing:
- Mooney, A., Morhardt, D., Fried-Oken, M., Saxon, M., Roberts, A.C., Khayum, R., Rogalski, E. (March 2019). Group intervention in Primary Progressive Aphasia: developing effective models to drive successful communication participation, engagement and support. Presentation at the annual Aphasia Access Leadership Summit. Baltimore, MD.
- Khayum, R., Roberts, A.C., Mooney, A., Fried-Oken, M., Saxon, M., Rogers, E., & Rogalski, E. (March 2019). Primary progressive aphasia and technology: Creative “app”lications to promote increased life participation. Poster at the annual Aphasia Access Leadership Summit. Baltimore, MD.
- Khayum, R., Roberts, A.C., Mooney, A., Fried-Oken, M., Saxon, M., Rogers, E., & Rogalski, E. (March 2019). Application of the life participation approach for individuals living with primary progressive aphasia. Round Table at the annual Aphasia Access Leadership Summit. Baltimore, MD.
- Roberts, A. C., Rogers, L., Khayum, B., Mooney, A., Esparza, M., Fried-Oken, M., Blaze, E., & Rogalski, E. (2019). Communication Bridge 2: A randomized control trial of language therapy in primary progressive aphasia. Workshop presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
- Rogalski, E., Saxon, M., Rogers, L., Esparza, M.,…, Mooney A., (2019) Evaluating contributing factors in speech language therapy effectiveness for individuals living with Primary Progressive Aphasia. Poster presented at the Annual AD Conference/PPA Symposium of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s disease Chicago, IL
- Rogers, L, Esparza, M, Roberts, A., Morhardt, D.,…Mooney, A. (2019) Communication Bridge: A person-centered Internet-based intervention for individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia. Poster presented at the Annual AD Conference/PPA Symposium of the North Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s disease Chicago, IL
- Aimee Mooney presented a webinar entitltled "Application of Systematic Instruction principles for training use of AAC in adults" for the United States Society for AAC (USSAAC). Access the webinar
- Effectiveness of a group intervention model for people with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), N. Beale, A. R. Mooney, M. Fried-Oken, Oregon Speech-Language & Hearing Association (OSHA) 2018 Conference.
- An AAC Social Media Intervention for People with Primary Progressive Aphasia, A.R. Mooney, M. Fried-Oken, G. Noethe, S. Bedrick, K. Gorman, S. Spaulding, A. Golinker, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) 2016
- PPA Treatment Update: Standardizing Care for Non-Standard Aphasia, M.L. Henry, A. Mooney, D. Mordhardt, ASHA 2015
- An AAC Pilot Study to Support Conversation in Persons with Primary Progressive Aphasia (poster), R. Pryor, A. Mooney, G. Noethe, M. Fried-Oken, ASHA 2015
- Communication Supports for Individuals with Language Impairments, Oregon Speech and Hearing Association (OSHA) Annual Convention, 2016
- AAC for persons with PPA, Webcast, Melanie Fried-Oken, PhD
- Evidence to Support AAC Treatment for PPA, American Academy of Neurology, Honolulu, Hawaii, April, 2011
- Communication Boards Support Conversation in PNFA, ASHA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November, 2010
- Aging Well with Dementia: Supporting Conversational Skills of Individuals with Progressive Aphasia, Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities, April, 2010
- Evidence for AAC Treatment in Nonfluent Progressive Aphasia, ISAAC, Barcelona, Spain, July, 2010
- A Comparison of Communication Board Use for Conversations in Primary Progressive Aphasia and Alzheimer's Disease, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 2012
- A Continuum of Communication Supports for Primary Progressive Aphasia, Oregon Speech-Language Hearing Association, October 2013
- Mobile Technology as Communication Supports for Adults with Primary Progressive Aphasia, Assistive Technology Industry Association Research Symposium, 2013
Community input
Please go to the National Aphasia Association and The Association for Frontotemporal Dementias for community advocacy.
Resources for individuals and families
Communication supports
We hope you will find these handouts helpful for those with primary progressive aphasia:
Useful websites
Below, you will find links to online resources that we find useful. We encourage research participants and their families to take a look:
- Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center
- National Aphasia Association
- The Association for Frontotemporal Dementias
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center - Northwestern University
- Memory and Aging Center (frontotemporal dementia) - University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
- ARTlab at University of Texas-Austin
- National Institutes of Health, Frontotemporal Disorders Information