New Hope for Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA): What Recent Research Shows

If you or a loved one has Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), you know how difficult it is to find clear information about treatment and support. PPA affects about 3% of people with dementia. It causes trouble with speaking, understanding, reading, and writing, but most other thinking skills remain mostly unchanged (Cadório & Vieira, 2025).

There is good news: recent research has found better ways to help people with PPA communicate and maintain their quality of life. Two studies offer new hope and practical strategies that can make a real difference.

What Makes PPA Different

PPA is different from the speech problems that can happen after a stroke. It is a slow-moving condition that affects language first, before other thinking skills. There are three main types:

Nonfluent PPA affects grammar and how smoothly a person can speak. People may have trouble putting words in the right order or speaking clearly.

Semantic PPA makes it difficult to understand and use words, especially when it comes to naming specific things.

Logopenic PPA causes trouble finding the right words and repeating sentences, but grammar usually stays mostly normal.

Knowing which type someone has helps doctors and speech therapists choose the best treatments (Cahan & Bonakdarpour, 2025).

Communication Strategies That Really Work

A review of 26 studies found that people with PPA and their families use many different strategies to communicate better (Cadório & Vieira, 2025). Many of these approaches are truly helpful.

Simple Tools Make a Big Difference

Research shows that simple solutions often work best:

• Writing keywords or drawing pictures
• Using hand movements and facial expressions
• Keeping books with important photos and words
• Using phone apps for notes and pictures
• Having family members speak more slowly and giving extra time

Technology Can Help Too

For some people, technology can provide important support:

• Devices that speak for them
• Apps that help find the right words
• Recording your voice while you can still speak clearly
• Eye-controlled systems for people who can't use their hands easily

Training Family Members Makes Everything Better

One key finding is that training family members and caregivers improves communication for everyone. When families learn to:

• Give more time for answers.
• Use shorter, simpler sentences.
• Not finish sentences for the person with PPA.
• Ask fewer test-like questions.
• Use hand movements and visual cues.

This helps the whole family communicate better (Cadório & Vieira, 2025).

Medical Treatments Are Getting Better

There is no cure for PPA yet, but treatment options are getting better. The right treatment depends on what is causing the PPA.

For Alzheimer's-Related PPA

If PPA is caused by Alzheimer's disease, doctors can now offer:

• Memory medicines like Donepezil
• Memantine for more serious cases
• New drugs like Lecanemab and Donanemab, which may slow the disease in the early stages

Speech Therapy Methods

Speech therapy is still the main treatment, and there are two main approaches:

• Skill-based therapy focuses on improving language skills through practice
• Strategy-based therapy teaches new ways to communicate when previous methods are no longer effective

Research shows that both approaches can help, and the best programs often use a combination of the two (Cahan & Bonakdarpour, 2025).

New Treatments Show Promise

Researchers are testing several promising new treatments:

Brain Stimulation: Methods like electrical brain stimulation combined with speech therapy show promise for improving word-finding abilities.

Gut-Brain Research: Scientists are studying how gut health may affect brain health in PPA, opening new treatment possibilities.

Personal Medicine: Genetic testing and brain scans help doctors choose the best treatments for each person's specific type of PPA.

What This Means for Families

This research brings several important messages:

Start Early: The sooner you begin using communication strategies and get speech therapy, the better the results tend to be.

Use Many Strategies: Using several different communication methods together (talking, writing, hand movements, technology) works better than using just one way.

Include the Whole Family: Training everyone who talks with the person with PPA makes the biggest difference in daily life.

Stay hopeful: Even though PPA progresses over time, many people are able to communicate meaningfully for years with the right support and strategies.

Moving Forward

If you are facing PPA, remember you are not alone, and support is available. Research shows that with the right combination of strategies, therapy, and support, people with PPA can keep communicating meaningfully with their loved ones.

Work with a speech pathologist who understands PPA. Consider both simple and high-tech communication tools. Most importantly, involve your whole family in learning new ways to communicate together.

While we wait for better treatments, these research-backed strategies can help you maintain connections and quality of life now.

If you are looking for specialized PPA support, consider working with a speech pathologist with experience in brain conditions. The right support can make a big difference in your communication journey. Schedule a free consultation with our experienced speech-language pathologists: http://lastinglanguagetherapy.com

References:

• Cadório, I., & Vieira, D. (2025). Communication strategies used in primary progressive aphasia: A scoping review. Dementia, 0(0), 1-26.
• Cahan, J. G., & Bonakdarpour, B. (2025). Primary progressive aphasia treatment: Current treatment options in neurology. Current Treatment Options in Neurology, 27:39.

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