Finding an Optimal Latency for Paired Associative Stimulation in People With Chronic Stroke

February 4, 2025 updated by: University of Minnesota

Effect of Different Interpulse Intervals of Paired Associative Stimulation on Cortical Excitability in People With Chronic Stroke

After a stroke, there is an exaggerated inhibitory influence from the non-stroke hemisphere to the stroke hemisphere. Brain stimulation using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the non-stroke hemisphere can decrease this inhibition. Paired Associative Stimulation (PAS) may be a more effective way to produce this same inhibition, as shown in healthy subjects. However, it is not known whether this will translate to people with stroke. PAS consists of a peripheral nerve stimulus paired a short time later with a cortical stimulus to change the excitability within the brain. Thus the investigators will apply PAS to people with stroke, but the investigators need to first determine the most effective interpulse interval (IPI) between the peripheral and cortical stimuli. Our research question is which of three different IPIs is most effective in changing the excitability of the brain.

The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal IPI between a peripheral nerve pulse and a cortical stimulus that will be most effective in changing excitability of the brain in people with chronic stroke. The investigators hypothesize that the cortical excitability of the nonstroke hemisphere will be most inhibited with the latency-5ms condition.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Numerous PAS studies have been done in healthy subjects and all have been done safely. The proper interpulse interval in healthy individuals between the peripheral nerve stimulus and the cortical stimulus is known to be "latency-5ms." However, this may be different in individuals with stroke.

Specific Aim: what is the optimal interpulse interval to achieve the maximum inhibitory effect in the nonstroke hemisphere?

We will recruit three subjects with chronic stroke. Electroencephalography (EEG) will be used to determine the latency between the peripheral nerve stimulus and the sensory evoked potential in each subject. We will then assess the following IPIs on each subject in a random order: "latency" - 3ms, -5ms and -7ms. There will be a fourth condition of "latency" + 100ms (known to have no effect) to be used as a control. The washout period will be at least one week between each of these conditions.

The optimal IPI will be determined from these tests by comparing single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures for cortical excitability. Prior to each treatment, each subject will receive 20 single pulse cortical stimuli to serve as pretest data. The post tests for each condition will consist of 20 single pulse cortical stimuli at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after the PAS condition. Data analysis will consist of a single-subject analysis with the two standard deviation bandwidth method of each post-test compared to pre-test.

We hypothesize that there will be no adverse advents and that this optimal IPI will be "latency"-5ms.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

4

Phase

  • 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
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55414
        • University of Minnesota Clinical and Translational Science Institute

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) of greater than 6 months duration
  • impairment in the paretic hand
  • over 18 years old
  • male or female
  • on mini mental status exam must have score of 22 or higher
  • must have elicitable motor evoked potential (MEP)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • seizure within the past two years
  • receptive aphasia
  • epileptogenic medication
  • major psychiatric disorder
  • other interfering comorbidities
  • pregnancy

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: Device Feasibility
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: N20-3ms, N20-5ms, N20+100ms, N20-7ms
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 3ms) where "latency" refers to the amount of time for the arrival of a sensory evoked potential as determined by EEG. Wash out period of 1 week then next level will be applied
Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 3ms)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 3ms) where "latency" refers to the amount of time for the arrival of a sensory evoked potential as determined by EEG.
Other Names:
  • TMS
  • Magstim
Experimental: N20-5ms, N20-3ms, N20-7ms, N20+100ms

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 5ms) where "latency" refers to the amount of time for the arrival of a sensory evoked potential as determined by EEG. Wash out period of 1 week then next level will be applied

Latency minus 7ms Wash out period of 1 week Latency plus 100ms Active comparator
Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 5ms)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 5ms
Other Names:
  • TMS
Experimental: N20-7ms, N20-5ms, N20-3ms,N20+100ms
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 7ms) where "latency" refers to the amount of time for the arrival of a sensory evoked potential as determined by EEG. Wash out period of 1 week then next level will be applied
Device: ranscranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 7ms)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 7ms
Other Names:
  • TMS
Active Comparator: N20-3ms, N20+100ms, N20-5ms, N20-7ms
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be applied to the primary motor cortex at the interstimulus interval of ("Latency" - 100ms) where "latency" refers to the amount of time for the arrival of a sensory evoked potential as determined by EEG. Wash out period of 1 week
Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Time 100ms
Active Compator
Other Names:
  • TMS

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Cortical Excitability Using Single TMS Pulses
Time Frame: Change from pretest (immediately prior to PAS application) to posttest which will occur over the 60 minutes that follow PAS application.
Assess average size of 20 motor evoked potentials via electromyography (EMG) signal resulting from single TMS pulses to the motor cortex. Measurements taken before and after paired associative stimulation treatment at each session.
Change from pretest (immediately prior to PAS application) to posttest which will occur over the 60 minutes that follow PAS application.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Minnesota

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kate Frost, MS, University of Minnesota

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

September 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 30, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 10, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

July 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 4, 2025

Last Verified

February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1406M51743

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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