Optimizing Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Motor Recovery From Hemiparesis

April 21, 2017 updated by: Lumy Sawaki

Optimizing Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Motor Recovery From Severe Post-stroke Hemiparesis

This study will compare the effectiveness of different polarities of transcranial direct current stimulation paired with intensive motor training in recovery of upper extremity function in individuals with severe post-stroke hemiparesis. The hypothesis is that more severely impaired individuals will derive greater benefit from anodal stimulation of the ipsilesional hemisphere or cathodal stimulation of the contralesional hemisphere than dual stimulation (anodal applied to the ipsilesional hemisphere and cathodal applied to the contralesional hemisphere.)

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study has 2 aims: 1) determine which transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) electrode configuration is most effective in combination with motor training to promote motor recovery from severe post-stroke hemiparesis; and 2) begin to clarify the extent to which baseline transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures predict response to tDCS, as well as the effects of tDCS paired with motor training on TMS measures of motor cortical organization.

To accomplish these aims, the investigators will recruit 36 human subjects with severe post-stroke hemiparesis and assign each subject to 1 of 4 tDCS conditions (anodal excitatory ipsilesional; cathodal inhibitory contralesional; a combination of anodal excitatory ipsilesional during cathodal inhibitory contralesional; or sham). Each subject will undergo a 20-minute stimulation session once a day for 10 days over a 2-week period. Each session will be followed by 3 hours of intensive, task-oriented upper extremity motor training.

Outcome measures for this study include TMS motor cortical maps and standardized tests of motor performance. The investigators hypothesize that all groups will show improvement in all measures; however, both the anodal excitatory ipsilesional group and the cathodal inhibitory contralesional group will show significantly greater improvement compared with the other 2 groups. The investigators will also find evidence clarifying whether the presence or absence of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) has predictive value regarding which tDCS configuration would be most effective for a particular subject.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

38

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Chronic stroke patients
  • Single stroke
  • Chronic (more than 12 months after from stroke)
  • At least 18 years old, but there is no upper age range for this project.
  • Participants NOT able to extend the affected metacarpophalangeal joints at least 10° and the wrist 20°.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of head injury with loss of consciousness, seizure, severe alcohol or drug abuse, psychiatric illness
  • Within 3 months of recruitment, use of drugs known to exert detrimental effects on motor recovery
  • Cognitive deficit severe enough to preclude informed consent
  • Positive pregnancy test or being of childbearing age and not using appropriate contraception
  • Participants with history of untreated depression.

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: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Anodal tDCS with motor training
20 minutes of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the ipsilesional hemisphere (intervention) paired with 3 hours of intensive, task-oriented upper extremity motor training. Transcranial direct current stimulation will be delivered using the Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim.
Device: Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim
Transcranial direct current stimulation to the ipsilesional hemisphere, contralesional hemisphere, or both, paired with task-oriented therapy.
Active Comparator: Cathodal tDCS with motor training
20 minutes of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the contralesional hemisphere (intervention) paired with 3 hours of intensive, task-oriented upper extremity motor training. Transcranial direct current stimulation will be delivered using the Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim.
Device: Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim
Transcranial direct current stimulation to the ipsilesional hemisphere, contralesional hemisphere, or both, paired with task-oriented therapy.
Active Comparator: Dual tDCS with motor training
20 minutes of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the ipsilesional hemisphere and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the contralesional hemisphere (intervention) paired with 3 hours of intensive, task-oriented upper extremity motor training. Transcranial direct current stimulation will be delivered using the Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim.
Device: Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim
Transcranial direct current stimulation to the ipsilesional hemisphere, contralesional hemisphere, or both, paired with task-oriented therapy.
Sham Comparator: Sham tDCS with motor training
20 minutes of sham transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the ipsilesional hemisphere (intervention) paired with 3 hours of intensive, task-oriented upper extremity motor training. Transcranial direct current stimulation will be delivered using the Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim.
Device: Neuroconn Eldith stimulator by Magstim
Transcranial direct current stimulation to the ipsilesional hemisphere, contralesional hemisphere, or both, paired with task-oriented therapy.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in Fugl Meyer Assessment
Time Frame: Score change after 10 days of intervention compared to baseline; Score change after 1-month after the intervention compared to baseline
Score change after 10 days of intervention compared to baseline; Score change after 1-month after the intervention compared to baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in Action Research Arm Test
Time Frame: Score change after 10 days of intervention compared to baseline; Score change after 1-month after the intervention compared to baseline
Score change after 10 days of intervention compared to baseline; Score change after 1-month after the intervention compared to baseline
Change in Stroke Impact Scale
Time Frame: Score change after 10 days of intervention compared to baseline; Score change after 1-month after the intervention compared to baseline
Score change after 10 days of intervention compared to baseline; Score change after 1-month after the intervention compared to baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Lumy Sawaki

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)

August 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 18, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 18, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

April 21, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 24, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 21, 2017

Last Verified

April 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 11CRP7220009

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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