Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme for People With Post-Stroke Aphasia

This research is investigating an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP) for people who have difficulty speaking, understanding, reading, or writing (aphasia) after a stroke. Aphasia can be very isolating, and current NHS support is often limited. This study wants to find out if taking part in an intensive therapy programme can genuinely improve how people with aphasia communicate and their overall quality of life. It will also look at the quality of life for their carers. This is the first time such an intensive programme is being properly tested against standard care to see if it could lead to better support for stroke survivors in the future.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University College, London

Enrolment target

334

Start

01 Sep 2026

Estimated completion

31 Aug 2030

Aphasia Following Cerebral Infarction

What is this study about?

Aphasia is a common problem after a stroke, making it hard to speak, understand, read, or write. This can be very frustrating and can significantly affect someone's daily life and happiness. Many people with aphasia and their families feel there isn't enough help available from the NHS.

However, we know that with enough dedicated therapy, people with aphasia can make real progress in their communication skills, mood, and overall well-being. An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP) is a way of providing a lot of therapy in a short space of time. While other studies suggest ICAPs are helpful, we don't have strong evidence yet from a large-scale study that compares it directly to the usual care people receive.

This study aims to be the first to do just that. We want to see if taking part in an ICAP leads to much better communication and quality of life for people with aphasia and their carers, compared to standard care. The results could help the NHS offer more effective treatments for stroke survivors with aphasia in the future.

Key takeaways

Aphasia makes it hard to talk, understand, read, or write after a stroke.
This study tests an 'Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme' (ICAP).
We want to see if ICAP improves communication and quality of life more than standard care.
The study involves dedicated therapy sessions over a few weeks.
Your participation could help improve future NHS care for stroke survivors.
You'll be part of a team helping to gather important information for others.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for adults aged 18 or over who have aphasia because of a stroke. You would need to be at least three months past your stroke. It's important that you can use English to communicate, even if it's not your first language.

We would not be able to include you if you have very severe difficulty speaking (where you can't produce any meaningful words) or other serious health issues like severe ongoing tiredness, other brain conditions like dementia, or certain mental health problems (like psychosis) that would make it very difficult to take part in the programme. You also need to be able to commit to the study's schedule.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Did you have a stroke that caused aphasia (speech problems)?
Was your stroke more than 3 months ago?
Can you communicate in English?
Do you feel well enough to commit to an intensive therapy schedule?
Do you have any other serious neurological conditions like dementia?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you'll be randomly put into one of two groups. One group will receive the Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP), which involves about 100 hours of therapy over four weeks. The other group will receive the standard care usually provided by the NHS, and we'll keep track of what that involves.

Throughout the study, we will assess your language skills, communication, mood, and quality of life using special questionnaires. We'll do these assessments when you start, after four months, and again after nine months. There are no medications involved in this study. The total duration of your active involvement with assessments will be around nine months.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could potentially improve your communication abilities and quality of life. You would also be contributing valuable information that could help shape future NHS services for people with aphasia. While there are no major physical risks, the intensive nature of the programme may be tiring, and there's no guarantee the treatment will work for everyone. You are completely free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a language problem, often caused by a stroke, that makes it hard to speak, understand, read, and write.

What is an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP)?

It's a way of delivering a lot of speech and language therapy in a short, focused period, usually over several weeks.

Why is this study needed?

We want to see if these intensive programmes can truly make a big difference for people with aphasia compared to standard care, which could improve NHS services.

Will I get the intensive therapy if I join?

You will be randomly assigned to either receive the intensive therapy or standard care. You won't be able to choose which group you're in.

How long will the study last for me?

The direct therapy part for the intensive group is four weeks, and we'll check your progress over nine months in total.

How to find out more

Alex Leff, PhD

a.leff@ucl.ac.uk +442076791129 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.