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

> **NIH DC K99** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · 2026 · $146,004

## Abstract

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 Mag

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11282973
- **Project number:** 1K99DC023302-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Sophie  Arheix-Parras
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** DC
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $146,004
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2026-03-16T00:00:00 → 2028-02-29T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11282973

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11282973, Recovery from Post-Stroke Aphasia With rTMS Targeting The Anterior Temporal Lobe: Interhemispheric Activation Changes And Lesion-Connectome-Based Predictive Outcomes (1K99DC023302-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-08-13 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11282973. Licensed CC0.

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