Abstract #2602

Changes in GABA associated with a sham-controlled transcranial direct current stimulation language intervention for primary progressive aphasia.

Ashley D Harris^1,2, Zeyi Wang³, Bronte Ficek⁴, Kim Webster^4,5, Richard AE Edden^6,7, and Kyrana Tsapkini⁴

¹Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, ²Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, ³Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁴Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁵Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁶Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁷F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States

Primary Progressive Aphasia is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting language. We applied GABA-edited MRS to examine GABA changes with anodal tDCS to augment language-therapy for patients with PPA. With tDCS targeting the left inferior frontal gyus, we see a decrease in IFG GABA following the intervention. No changes were observed in the sham group. While all patients showed improvements with language therapy, those receiving tDCS showed greater improvements that were maintained at 2 months follow-up. This work supports the use of tDCS to augment language therapy in PPA.

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