Primary Progressive Aphasia

Two women sitting in a living room and looking at an iPad

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

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.

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:

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).
  • 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

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: