tDCS and Glucose Uptake in Leg Muscles

January 2, 2023 updated by: Thorsten Rudroff, University of Iowa

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Reduce Asymmetric Glucose Uptake in Leg Muscles of Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

This study is to examine the efficacy of tDCS to improving walking in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS).

Our study compromises 1 group of subjects with MS which will attend the lab for three sessions. In the first session, subjects will be consented, complete the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the right and left knee extensors and flexors to determine the more-affected leg. The second and third sessions will involve whole-body FDG PET imaging. During each of these sessions, the subject will walk for 20 min on a treadmill at a self-selected speed during which time tDCS or SHAM, in a blinded manner, will be applied to the motor cortex (M1) corresponding to the more-affected leg. Approximately 2 minutes into the walking, [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) will be administered by IV injection. Immediately after the walking is completed, the subject will be positioned in the PET/CT scanner and a whole body (top of head to toes) PET/CT scan will be acquired for the evaluation of glucose metabolism in the brain, spine, and lower extremities. The third session will be identical to the second session with the exception that the opposite condition (tDCS or SHAM) will be used.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Prospective participants, men and women with MS, will be recruited. The plan is to enroll up to 30 to get 20 evaluable subjects. To accomplish this study, all participants will need to complete 3 sessions. The first session at the INPL and sessions 2 and 3 at PET Imaging Center (0911ZJPP) and the PET Imaging lab in Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building. Session 2 and 3 are separated by 5-8 days. The duration of each session will be approximately 120 minutes. We expect data collection to last 6 months.

In the first session, subjects will be consented, complete the PDDS, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the right and left knee extensors and flexors to determine the more-affected leg. When leg strength difference is less than 10%, the more affected side will be based on self-report. The second and the third sessions will involve 20 min walking on a treadmill at a self-selected speed during which time tDCS or SHAM will be applied to the motor cortex (M1) corresponding to the more-affected leg and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose will be administered. At the end of the walking period, the subject will be imaged on a PET/CT scanner from top of head to toes.

Prior to sessions 2 and 3, all subjects will be asked to fast (water and medication can be taken during this time) for a minimum of 6 hours prior to the FDG administration. In addition, the blood glucose level will be checked (via Accuchek) prior to FDG administration and the level must be equal to or less than 200 mg/dL in order to proceed with the FDG administration on that day. At the beginning of session 2 and 3, the subject will be weighed and height measured, have a blood glucose level determined via Accuchek as described above, undergo a urine pregnancy test if the subject is of child-bearing potential, and have an IV catheter inserted for FDG administration. The subject will then be moved to the PET Scanner area in Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building. The subject will be asked to use the restroom prior to walking on the treadmill. A tDCS device (Soterix) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCl). The positive electrode will be placed over the motor cortex representation of the more affected leg, and a second electrode will be placed on the forehead above the contralateral orbit. The participant will receive tDCS or SHAM throughout the walking (i.e., for 20 min). In the tDCS trial, the intensity will start at 0 mA and will increase to 3 mA over the first 30 seconds. In the sham condition, the participants will receive the initial 30 seconds of stimulation, after which the current will be set to 0.

Two min into the walking test on the treadmill, 10 mCi of [18F]-FDG will be injected IV. Then, the walking test continues until 20 min is reached. When the walking test is completed, the tDCS device will be removed and the subject will be positioned in the PET/CT scanner and a whole body (top of head to toes) PET/CT scan will be acquired.

Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded with the modified Borg 10-point scale (Borg, 1982). The subjects will be instructed to estimate the effort during walking. The scale will be anchored so that 0 denotes the resting state and 10 represents the strongest effort.

No long-term follow-up will be done.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
4

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Iowa
      • Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52242
        • University of Iowa

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • medically diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • 18-70 yrs. of age, moderate disability (Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) core 2-6)
  • Self-reported differences in function between legs, able to walk for 20 min.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • MS relapse within last 60 days
  • inability to fast for 6 hours
  • hyperglycemia (fasting blood sugar > 200 mg/dL)
  • insulin-dependent diabetes
  • high risk for cardiovascular disease (ACSM risk classification)
  • changes in disease-modifying medications within last 45 days
  • concurrent neurological/neuromuscular disease
  • hospitalization within last 90 days
  • diagnosed depression
  • inability to understand/sign informed consent, pregnant, history of seizure disorders (or on medications known to lower seizure threshold)
  • hydrocephalus.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: tDCS first then SHAM effects on glucose uptake in leg muscles

tDCS Block: The subject will walk for 20 min on a treadmill at a self-selected speed during which time tDCS will be applied to the motor cortex (M1) corresponding to the more-affected leg.

Sham Block: The subject will walk for 20 min on a treadmill at a self-selected speed during which time SHAM will be applied to the motor cortex (M1) corresponding to the more-affected leg.
Device: transcranial direct current stimulation or SHAM

A tDCS device (Soterix) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCL). The positive electrode will be placed over the motor cortex representation of the more affected leg, and a second electrode will be placed on the forehead above the contralateral orbit.

In the sham condition, the participants will receive the initial 30 seconds of stimulation, after which the current will be set to 0. The same tDCS device (Soterix) will be used.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Glucose Uptake in Leg Muscles
Time Frame: Six Months
Participants are walking on a treadmill with tDCS or SHAM, followed by a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to measure glucose uptake in leg muscles. SUV asymmetry indices (AIs) were calculated to determine the magnitude of asymmetry between the more- and less-affected legs with a previously used equation: ((less-affected side - more-affected side)/((0.5) × (less-affected side + more- affected side)) × 100). An AI value ≥ 10% was considered asymmetric.
Six Months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Time Frame: Six Months
Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded with the modified Borg 10-point scale (Borg, 1982). The subjects will be instructed to estimate their effort during walking. The scale will be anchored so that 0 denotes the resting state and 10 represents the strongest effort they are able to perform.
Six Months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Iowa

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 6, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 1, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 8, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 8, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 12, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 25, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 2, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 201905825

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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