Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Post Stroke Depression

May 4, 2026 updated by: Riphah International University

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Post Stroke Depression

The aim of the research is to address the critical gap that limited number of RCTs are conducted on this topic. To further explore the efficacy of tDCs, large sample sizes, large follow up period and rigorously controlled randomized clinical trials are necessary. An optimum stimulation protocol is also needed on this study. Previous studies lack information regarding effects of this stimulation on depression, cognition, quality of life in relation to different severity levels of stroke.

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

Research studies revealed that PSD causes both cognitive and physical impairments to lower motivation, which hinders rehabilitation program participation and slows down executive functions. Due to depression, cognitive dysfunctions difficulty in executive, working memory and emotional deficits which declines quality of life (QoL). Thus, the combined effects of cognitive decline and PSD considerably more worsen stroke survivors' QoL with regard to psychological, environmental and physical well-being Evidence supports various techniques for minimizing PSD, restoring cognitive function, and enhancing QoL including mindfulness-based therapies, exercise therapy (aerobic and resistance trainings), progressive muscle relaxation exercises, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) include transcranial direct current stimulations (tDCS) demonstrated significant therapeutic outcomes in the PSD rehabilitation.

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.
60

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 466000
        • Pakistan Railway General Hospital

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Stroke for more than 6 months
  • Both gender with equal ratio on stroke severity basis
  • Depression diagnosed by Psychiatrist
  • Mild and moderate Depression at PHQ-9
  • National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) for severity level; Mild (1-4), Moderate (5-15), Moderate to Severe (16-20), Severe (21-42)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any medical condition like cardiac arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension.
  • Individual with any pacemaker and metal implant in body.
  • Patient with any other neurological and psychiatric condition.

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel 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 Group
Active tDCS will be applied to the M1 area of the brain with the conventional therapy
Other: tDCS
tDCS will be applied to the M1 area for 20 minutes with 5x7 cm electrodes. The intervention will be applied for eight weeks on alternate days
Other: Conventional treatment
Breathing exercises will be performed
Active Comparator: Sham tDCS Group
Sham tDCS will be applied to the M1 area of the brain with the conventional therapy
Other: tDCS
tDCS will be applied to the M1 area for 20 minutes with 5x7 cm electrodes. The intervention will be applied for eight weeks on alternate days
Other: Conventional treatment
Breathing exercises will be performed

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
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a self-administered and widely used tool for screening, diagnosing, monitoring, and measuring post stroke depression .It consists of 9 items, scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), with a total score ranging from 0 to 27. The PHQ-9 interpreted as 0-4=No depression, 5-9=mild depression, 10-14=Moderate depression, 15- 19=Moderately severe, 20-27=severe depression.
8 weeks
MoCA
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) plays a significant role in the prediction of Cognitive Impairment after stroke. MoCA is scored out of 30 points. Interpreted as 26-30=Normal Cognitive impairment 18-25 = mild cognitive impairment, 10-17= moderate cognitive impairment and less than 10= severe cognitive impairment.
8 weeks

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
SS-QoL
Time Frame: 8 weeks
SS-QOL is a tool designed for self-assessment of stroke survivors. It might be completed by the patient or its caregiver, as the time required to complete is 10-15 minutes. The questionnaire consists of 49 items divided in 12 domains; energy, family role, language, mobility, mood, personality, self-care, social role, thinking, upper extremity function, vision and work. Five-point Likert scale. The results are later rescaled to fit the 0 to100 scale where 100 is being the best health state.
8 weeks

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.
Riphah International University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mirza Obaid Baig, MSPT, Riphah International University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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.
October 25, 2024

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.
August 31, 2025

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.
September 10, 2025

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).
September 12, 2024

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.
September 16, 2024

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.
September 19, 2024

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.
May 8, 2026

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.
May 4, 2026

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.
May 1, 2026

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.
  • REC02030 Jaweria Zaib Abbasi

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

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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