Optimal Targeted High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Reducing Post-stroke Upper Limb Motor Impairments

May 26, 2026 updated by: Yuan Yang, Carle Foundation Hospital

Optimal Targeted High-definition tDCS for Reducing Post-stroke Upper Limb Motor Impairments

Non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical technologies that augment routine clinical practice for brain diseases and manage chronic symptoms have advanced rapidly over the past two decades. Among these, non-invasive brain stimulation such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) promotes neuroplasticity in injured brains, with fewer side effects and risks than invasive, implanted approaches such as deep-brain stimulation. Stimulating the brain can improve its function and help with recovery after a stroke. It has been a challenge to do this non-invasively. This is because the brain is reshaped after a stroke, and thus, it is difficult to find the right places to stimulate from the outside. In previous research, investigators found that optimal type and target of tDCS varied among subjects. The goal of this pilot trial is to test the feasibility of combining individually optimized, targeted high-definition tDCS (THD-tDCS) with rehabilitation therapy. Investigators will include 16 chronic stroke subjects with their optimal stimulation setup, obtained from their previous research. The participants will be computer-randomized into two equal-sized groups to receive either optimal THD-tDCS or sham stimulation, together with rehabilitation therapy (modified constraint-induced movement therapy, mCIMT) for five sessions over two weeks. Outcome measures will be collected at the baseline and right after the final intervention session. The primary outcome measure will be the change in the FM-UE score from baseline to immediately post the final intervention to assess the immediate effect of the intervention on upper extremity motor impairment. The secondary outcome measure will be the Wolf Motor Function Test time score to evaluate the immediate effect on functional motor performance.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

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.

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 (Estimated)

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.
16

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

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Urbana, Illinois, United States, 61801-3028
        • Carle Foundation Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Yuan Yang, PhD, MS
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Sanjiv Jain, MD

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:

  • Must be 18 years or older
  • Must have had a stroke that resulted in paresis confined to one side. The use of a wheelchair or other assisting devices are not exclusionary.
  • Must have substantial motor impairment of the paretic upper limb
  • Absence of severe wasting or contracture or significant sensory deficits in the paretic upper limb
  • Absence of severe concurrent medical problems (e.g. cardiorespiratory impairment)
  • Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Score of 8-50 based on assessment performed during the baseline visit.
  • Must have had either MRI or CT of the brain performed at Carle as part of their stroke care. Imaging may have been performed either during the diagnostic work-up for stroke or as follow-up after diagnosis. The most recent images from either MRI or CT will be collected for this study.
  • Capacity to provide informed consent and participate in English (Since this study is a clinical trial and the team is yet to provide the translation service at this stage, the study is restricted to those who can consent and participate in English only).
  • Must be willing and able to perform study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Self-reported sensitive skin or adhesive allergy as assessed by the tDCS Safety Screening Questionnaire
  • Has a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator or an implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy device
  • Has metal implants in the head and/or brain
  • Presence of muscle tone abnormalities and motor or sensory impairment in the non-paretic limb
  • Presence of severe muscle wasting or contracture or significant sensory deficits in the paretic upper limb
  • Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study period
  • History of epilepsy, febrile convulsion, recurrent fainting spells or unexplained recurring headaches
  • Current use of illicit/recreational drugs
  • Currently undergoing anti-malarial treatment. (Note: participants can be considered for study participation after ant-malarial treatment has been discontinued)
  • Has known adverse reaction to TMS or tDCS

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: Double

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.
Active Comparator: Optimal targeted HD-tDCS + mCIMT
Optimal targeted HD-tDCS (high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation) during Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (mCIMT)
Device: High-definition transcranial direct stimulation: optimal
High-definition transcranial direct stimulation with individualized, optimal parameters.
Behavioral: Modified constraint-induced movement therapy
Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (mCIMT) is an evidence-based neurorehabilitation approach that improves upper limb function after stroke or brain injury by restricting the unaffected limb while intensively training the affected limb.
Sham Comparator: Sham HD-tDCS + mCIMT
Sham HD-tDCS (high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation) administers no dose or zero milliampere stimulation through the tDCS device, during Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (mCIMT)
Behavioral: Modified constraint-induced movement therapy
Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (mCIMT) is an evidence-based neurorehabilitation approach that improves upper limb function after stroke or brain injury by restricting the unaffected limb while intensively training the affected limb.
Device: High-definition transcranial direct stimulation: sham
High-definition transcranial direct stimulation with zero stimulation intensity (placebo)

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
Change in the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity score from baseline
Time Frame: Right after the final intervention session
Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE) is a measure of motor impairment (0 to 66 points, with higher points indicating less impairment). FM-UE scale consists of a 33-item assessment which provides a global assessment of upper extremity motor impairment. A rater provides an ordinal rating (2=near normal ability/response, 1=partial ability, 0=unable to perform/no response) for each item.
Right after the final intervention session

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
Change in the Wolf Motor Function Test Time Score From Baseline
Time Frame: Right after the final intervention session
Wolf Motor Function (WMFT) Test is a measure of functional motor activity that quantifies upper extremity motor ability through timed and functional tasks. The WMFT Time Score the median of 15 timed arm movements and hand dexterity tasks, each to be completed up to 120s. If a task could not be completed in 120s, a score of 121s was assigned. Higher score indicates a worse motor function.
Right after the final intervention session

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.
Carle Foundation Hospital

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
American Heart Association

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 (Estimated)

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.
July 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
March 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2027

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).
May 14, 2026

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.
May 14, 2026

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.
May 20, 2026

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 28, 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 26, 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.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • 26CNI4419
  • 26BCDA1622682 (Other Grant/Funding Number: American Heart Association)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

I will follow American Heart Association Open Science Policy to share IPD: https://professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/awardee-resources/open-science-policy-statements-for-aha-funded-research

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Please refer to https://professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/awardee-resources/open-science-policy-statements-for-aha-funded-research for detailed information in term of time-frame of sharing such data

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Please refer to https://professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/awardee-resources/open-science-policy-statements-for-aha-funded-research for detailed information in term of access criteria

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

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.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings