Combined tDCS and Cognitive Training to Reduce Impulsivity in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

Behavioral changes following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are one of the biggest challenges for patients, as well as their family members and others involved in their recovery. One of the most common behavioral changes following TBI is the emergence of impulsive behavior, which has been associated with destructive, suicidal, and aggressive behavior, and is related to poor rehabilitation program adherence. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effect of a novel neuroplasticity based intervention that combines cognitive training and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to reduce impulsivity and to improve outcomes and quality of life for those who have suffered a TBI.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Traumatic Brain Injury; Impulsivity
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Active Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS); Device: Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Detailed Description

Behavioral changes following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are one of the biggest challenges for patients, as well as their family members and others involved in their recovery. One of the most common behavioral changes following TBI is the emergence of impulsive behavior, which has been associated with destructive, suicidal, and aggressive behavior, and is related to poor rehabilitation program adherence. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effect of a novel neuroplasticity based intervention approach utilizing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to alter brain neuroplasticity combined with cognitive training tasks selected to functionally target cognition and brain circuits that are impaired in those TBI patients with impulsive behavior.

This double-blind, randomized, placebo (sham) controlled study will recruit 30 Veterans with a history of mild, moderate or severe TBI, who exhibit a variety of impulsive behaviors. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active or sham tDCS, both paired with cognitive training tasks, once a day for five days. Additionally, participants will attend three follow up visits at 1, 2, and 3 months after the course of intervention visits is completed. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be collected before and after intervention, to measure brain activity changes across time depending on intervention type.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417
      • Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Participants will be included in the study if they:

• have a clinical history of impulsive behavior, including substance abuse, gambling problems, legal issues such as DUI, violent acts, aggression, history of suicidality, or ADHD as assessed by the patient's clinical provider and/or screen of medical records
• are age 18 or older
• are receiving services from the Minneapolis VA Health Care System
• are stable on any medications for at least 1 week at the baseline visit
• have a diagnosis of mild, moderate, or severe TBI (as defined by VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines criteria)

Exclusion Criteria:

Persons will be excluded from this study if they:

• have a significant neurological disorder based on the Principal Investigators judgment that would impact risk
• diagnosed with current active psychosis or mania
• have metallic cranial plates/screws or implanted devices
• have eczema on scalp or other scalp lesions or skin disorders that may become irritated by stimulation
• are pregnant

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active tDCS; Participants will receive 5 sessions of cognitive training concurrent with transcranial direct current stimulation (anode over left frontal cortex, cathode over right frontal cortex; 2 mAmps for 20 minutes).	Device: Active Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS); Cognitive training concurrent with 2 mAmps of anodal stimulation applied to the left frontal cortex for 20 minutes.
Sham Comparator: Sham tDCS; Participants will receive 5 sessions of cognitive training concurrent with sham tDCS. For sham tDCS, electrodes are placed at the same locations as for active tDCS, but current is ramped up for the initial 30 secs, then immediately ramped back down. This method mimics the initial physical sensation of stimulation, but there is no active current for the remainder of the session.	Device: Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS); Cognitive training concurrent with sham tDCS (30 secs ramp up/ramp down of current at beginning of session).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)	Differences in magnitude of change in BIS scores between active tDCS and sham groups from baseline to follow-up sessions. Higher total score on the BIS indicates higher levels of impulsivity.	Change between baseline and 1 week follow-up; 1, 2, and 3 months following intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in choice of higher risk option in the Risk Task	Differences in magnitude of change in choice of higher risk option during the Risk Task between active tDCS and sham groups from baseline to follow-up sessions. Greater choice of higher risk options in the Risk Task indicates higher levels of risk-taking and impulsivity.	Change between baseline and 1 week follow-up; 1, 2, and 3 months following intervention
Change in Brain Functional Connectivity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)	Compare magnitude of change in frontal-striatal functional connectivity between active tDCS and sham groups from baseline to following the 5 sessions of intervention.	Change between baseline and 1 week follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• Collaborators: The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center; Center for Veterans Research and Education; Minnesota Office of Higher Education

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 8, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 16, 2023
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 13, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 15, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): February 18, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 13, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Craniocerebral Trauma; Trauma, Nervous System; Brain Injuries; Wounds and Injuries; Brain Injuries, Traumatic; Impulsive Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: VAM-18-00308

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes