Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Recovery from Post-Stroke Aphasia With rTMS Targeting The Anterior Temporal Lobe: Interhemispheric Activation Changes And Lesion-Connectome-Based Predictive Outcomes

Award Number: K99DC023302
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/16/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/29/2028

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Recovery from Post-Stroke Aphasia With rTMS Targeting The Anterior Temporal Lobe: Interhemispheric Activation Changes And Lesion-Connectome-Based Predictive Outcomes - The K99/R00 Award will support my transition to an independent researcher focused on using repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) to enhance post-stroke aphasia recovery. The majority of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) studies, including those using rTMS, apply facilitatory stimulation to the left Inferior Frontal Gyrus (IFG) or inhibitory stimulation to its right homologue. While IFG is an important hub, the language system is widespread and complex, and its damage induce impairments that vary significantly across individuals. For instance, post-stroke aphasia often leads to anomia and semantic errors due to disruption in lexicosemantic processes. I propose to use a novel and promising target for stimulation – the Anterior Temporal Lobe (ATL) – given that evidence suggests that it plays a crucial role in lexicosemantic processing and hence may be pivotal in individuals with such impairment. Additionally, the theory of transcallosal interhemispheric imbalance hypothesize that brain lesions cause hyperactivation of the undamaged hemisphere and hypoactivation of the damaged one, justifying left hemispheric (LH) facilitation and right hemispheric (RH) inhibition. However, this model does not fully explain the complex involvement of the RH in post-stroke aphasia recovery. Furthermore, while rTMS shows promise in improving post-stroke language impairments, individual responses vary, necessitating a better understanding of factors influencing its efficacity. To address these gaps, I propose a three-arm randomized clinical trial involving 60 individuals with post-stroke aphasia. The study will compare facilitatory rTMS targeting the left ATL, inhibitory rTMS targeting the right ATL, and sham stimulation. By tailoring rTMS targets to participants’ clinical profiles, we aim to improve language processing outcomes (Aim 1). I will investigate how RH inhibition versus LH facilitation affects language recovery. Using resting-state and task-based functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), I will explore the mechanisms underlying each stimulation type and assess the relevance of the theory of transcallosal interhemispheric imbalance (Aim 2). I will also study how lesion localization and neural disconnections influence responses to brain stimulation using lesion- and connectome- symptom mapping (LSM/CSM) techniques (Aim 3). This research builds on my Ph.D. work, which focused on tailoring rTMS to specific post-stroke language impairments and extends it to address lexicosemantic impairments. The K99 phase will primarily develop my expertise in fMRI and LSM/CSM methodologies, supporting my progression to independent scientist in the R00 phase and enabling future investigations into NIBS for aphasia recovery, improving outcomes and understanding the underlying mechanisms of these stimulations.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $146,004 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA	1600 HAMPTON ST	COLUMBIA	SC	29208	RICHLAND	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	3/19/2026	NEW	$146,004
														Subtotal = $146,004

Grand Total All Awards = $146,004

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Recovery from Post-Stroke Aphasia With rTMS Targeting The Anterior Temporal Lobe: Interhemispheric Activation Changes And Lesion-Connectome-Based Predictive Outcomes

Award Number: K99DC023302

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/16/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/29/2028

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer