- ICH GCP
- US Clinical Trials Registry
- Clinical Trial NCT03930121
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Enhance Training Effectiveness in Chronic Post-Stroke Aphasia
June 5, 2023 updated by: University Medicine Greifswald
The aim of the study is to investigate whether intensive speech-language therapy (SLT) combined with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) leads to better communication performance than SLT combined with placebo stimulation (using sham-tDCS).
Study Overview
Status
Recruiting
Conditions
Detailed Description
Intensive speech-language therapy (SLT) can promote recovery from chronic post-stroke aphasia, but effect sizes are moderate.
This highlights the pressing need to explore adjunct strategies, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), to enhance training effectiveness.
Recently, the investigators provided evidence from a single-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) suggesting that anodal-tDCS of the left primary motor cortex (M1) improves naming and communication ability in chronic post-stroke aphasia, with medium-to-large effect sizes.
However, prior to integration into clinical routine, a multi-center RCT with adequate power, duration, and outcomes relevant to everyday life is required, which is the goal of the present study.
After trial completion, a workshop with relevant stakeholders will ensure transfer into best-practice guidelines.
Study Type
Interventional
Enrollment (Estimated)
130
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 Contact
- Name: Agnes Floeel, Prof.
- Phone Number: +49 3834 86 6815
- Email: agnes.floeel@uni-greifswald.de
Study Contact Backup
- Name: Nina Unger
- Phone Number: +49 3834 86 6749
- Email: nina.unger@uni-greifswald.de
Study Locations
-
-
-
Aachen, Germany, 52074
- Recruiting
- Aphasiestation RWTH Aachen
-
Contact:
- Beate Schumann
- Phone Number: 0241/8088556
- Email: bschumann@ukaachen.de
-
Allensbach, Germany, 78476
- Recruiting
- Kliniken Schmieder Allensbach
-
Contact:
- Berthold Gröne
- Phone Number: 07533/8081456
- Email: b.groene@kliniken-schmieder.de
-
Bad Aibling, Germany, 83209
- Recruiting
- Schön Klinik Bad Aibling Harthausen
-
Contact:
- Gudrun Klingenberg, Dr.
- Phone Number: 08061/9031581
- Email: gklingenberg@schoen-klinik.de
-
Bad Homburg, Germany, 61348
- Recruiting
- Wicker Klinik Bad Homburg
-
Contact:
- Carla Berghoff, Dr.
- Phone Number: 06172/103160
- Email: berghoff@wickerklinik.de
-
Bad Klosterlausnitz, Germany, 07639
- Recruiting
- Moritz Kliniken Bad Klosterlausnitz
-
Contact:
- Anke Oertel
- Phone Number: 036601/ 49521
- Email: anke.oertel@moritz-klinik.de
-
Bad Sülze, Germany, 18334
- Recruiting
- Median Klinik Bad Sülze
-
Contact:
- Daniela Fürst
- Phone Number: 038229/72530
- Email: daniela.fuerst@median-kliniken.de
-
Berlin, Germany, 10115
- Recruiting
- ZAR Berlin
-
Contact:
- Anke Nicklas
- Phone Number: 030/285184555
- Email: nicklas@zar-berlin.de
-
Gailingen, Germany, 78262
- Recruiting
- Kliniken Schmieder Gailingen
-
Contact:
- Berthold Gröne
- Phone Number: 07533/8081456
- Email: b.groene@kliniken-schmieder.de
-
Greifswald, Germany, 17475
- Recruiting
- University medicine Greifswald, department of Neurology
-
Contact:
- Agnes Floeel, Prof
- Phone Number: +49 (03834) 86 6815
- Email: agnes.floeel@uni-greifswald.de
-
Contact:
- Nina Unger
- Phone Number: +49 (03834) 86 6749
- Email: nina.unger@uni-greifswald.de
-
Greifswald, Germany, 17491
- Recruiting
- BDH-Klinik Greifswald gGmbH
-
Contact:
- Thomas Platz, Prof. Dr.
- Phone Number: 03834/871201
- Email: Sekretariataed@bdh-klinikgreifswald.de
-
Göppingen, Germany, 73035
- Recruiting
- Klinikum Christophsbad Göppingen
-
Contact:
- Angelika Kartmann
- Phone Number: 07161/6019650
- Email: angelika.kartmann@christophsbad.de
-
Heidelberg, Germany, 69117
- Recruiting
- Kliniken Schmieder Heidelberg
-
Contact:
- Desirée Kämpfer
- Phone Number: 06221/6540390
- Email: d.kaempfer@kliniken-schmieder.de
-
Kempen, Germany, 47906
- Recruiting
- Hospital zum Heiligen Geist Kempen
-
Contact:
- Nathalie Stute
- Phone Number: 02512/1421311
- Email: nathalie.stute@artemed.de
-
Leipzig, Germany, 04103
- Recruiting
- Tagesklinik MPI Leipzig
-
Contact:
- Frank Regenbrecht
- Phone Number: 0341/9724980
- Email: frank.regenbrecht@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
-
Lindlar, Germany, 51789
- Recruiting
- Logo Zentrum Lindlar
-
Contact:
- Tina Keck
- Phone Number: 02266/9060
- Email: tina.keck@logozentrumlindlar.de
-
Marbach, Germany, 71672
- Recruiting
- TheraVent aktiv Marbach
-
Contact:
- Katrin Baumann
- Phone Number: 07144/160960
- Email: katrin.baumann@theravent-aktiv.de
-
Meerbusch, Germany, 40670
- Recruiting
- St. Mauritius Therapieklinik
-
Contact:
- Stefanie Brühl, PD Dr.
- Phone Number: 02159/6795216
- Email: stefanie.bruehl@stmtk.de
-
Vechta, Germany, 49377
- Recruiting
- Aphasie-Zentrum Vechta gGmbH
-
Contact:
- Stephan Benhamza
- Phone Number: 04447/970134
-
Contact:
- Kathrin Billo
- Phone Number: 04447/970134
- Email: kathrin.billo@aphasie-zentrum.de
-
-
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
16 years to 68 years (Adult, Older Adult)
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- left-hemisphere cortical or subcortical stroke with first-ever aphasic symptoms
- at least 6 months post-onset of stroke;
- aphasia, as determined by the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT);
- 13 moderate-to-severe word finding difficulties (maximum of 75% correct items on a computerized naming task at baseline);
- at least 1 correct reaction on the first part of the AAT subscale Token Test (ensuring basic comprehension skills);
- at least 1 point on the communicative task of the AAT subscale Spontaneous Speech (ensuring basic communication abilities);
- German as first language;
- intact left-hemisphere "hand knob" without right prefrontal lesions for placement of tDCS electrodes, as confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging or computer tomography scans.
Exclusion Criteria:
- contraindications for tDCS (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, history of seizures, implanted metal inside the head);
- more than one clinically apparent stroke with aphasic symptoms;
- other severe neurological diseases (e.g., brain tumor, and subdural hematoma);
- epilepsy with seizures during the last 12 months prior to study start and/or intake of sedating antiepileptic drugs (barbiturates and benzodiazepines),
- history of severe alcohol or drug abuse;
- current severe depression;
- current psychosis or other relevant psychiatric condition;
- very severe apraxia of speech, as revealed by Hierarchical Word Lists;
- severe non-verbal cognitive deficits, as indicated by the Corsi Block-Tapping Task;
- severe uncontrolled medical problems;
- severely impaired vision or hearing that prevents patients from engaging in intensive SLT;
- changes in centrally active drugs within 2 weeks prior to study inclusion.
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: Single
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Experimental group
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with speech-language therapy (SLT, including naming therapy and communicative-pragmatic therapy)
|
Two daily sessions of intensive SLT combined with tDCS of the left primary motor cortex (M1)
|
Sham Comparator: Control group
Placebo stimulation (using sham-tDCS) combined with SLT
|
Two daily sessions of intensive SLT combined with tDCS of the left primary motor cortex (M1)
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Change in communication ability, as assessed by the Amsterdam Nijmegen Everyday Language Test
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Amsterdam Nijmegen Everyday Language Test (A-scale; parallel versions used in counterbalanced order across participants); cf.
Blomert L, Kean ML, Koster C, et al.
Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language Test-Construction, Reliability and Validity.
Aphasiology 1994; 8: 381-407.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Change in naming ability, as assessed based on personally relevant trained and untrained items, consistent with previous work (see description)
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Personally relevant trained and untrained items, consistent with previous work; cf.
Meinzer M, Darkow R, Lindenberg R, et al.
Electrical stimulation of the motor cortex enhances treatment outcome in post-stroke aphasia.
Brain 2016; 139: 1152-1163.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in (non-)verbal communication, as assessed by the Scenario Test
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; 6-month follow-up
|
Scenario Test; cf.
Nobis-Bosch R, Abel S, Krzok F, et al.
Szenario Test-Testung verbaler und nonverbaler Aspekte aphasischer Kommunikation.
ProLog, in preparation.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; 6-month follow-up
|
Change in (non-)verbal communication, as assessed by the Communicative Effectiveness Index
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Communicative Effectiveness Index; cf.
Lomas J, Pickard L, Bester S, et al.
The Communicative Effectiveness Index: development and psychometric evaluation of a functional communication measure for adult aphasia.
J Speech Hear Disord 1989; 54: 113-124.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in attention and executive function, as assessed by the subscales Go/NoGo and Alertness from Test of Attentional Performance
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; 6-month follow up
|
Subscales Go/NoGo and Alertness from Test of Attentional Performance; cf.
Zimmermann P and Fimm B. Testbatterie zur Aufmerksamkeitsprüfung (TAP).
Herzogenrath: PSYTEST Verlag, 2002.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; 6-month follow up
|
Change in non-verbal episodic memory, as assessed by the Figure Recognition Task from Benton Visual Retention Test
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; 6-month follow up
|
Figure Recognition Task from Benton Visual Retention Test; cf.
Benton Sivan A and Spreen O. Benton Test.
Bern: Huber, 2009.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; 6-month follow up
|
Change in mood, as assessed by the German version of the 10-item Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
German version of the 10-item Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire (SADQH-10); cf.
Cobley CS, Thomas SA, Lincoln NB, et al.
The assessment of low mood in stroke patients with aphasia: reliability and validity of the 10-item Hospital version of the Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire (SADQH-10).
Clin Rehabil 2012; 26: 372-381.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in health-related quality of life, as assessed by the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale (SAQOL-39g); cf.
Hilari K, Lamping DL, Smith SC, et al.
Psychometric properties of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale (SAQOL-39) in a generic stroke population.
Clin Rehabil 2009; 23: 544-557.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in health-related quality of life, as assessed by the EuroQol Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
EuroQol Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L); cf.
EuroQol G. EuroQol-a new facility for the measurement of health-related quality of life.
Health Policy 1990; 16: 199-208.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in direct and indirect costs during the 12-month study period, as assessed by the self-developed Patient Resource Consumption Questionnaire
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Direct and indirect costs during the 12-month study period, as determined by the self-developed Patient Resource Consumption Questionnaire considering common standardized unit cost assumptions.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in direct and indirect costs during the 12-month study period, as assessed by the Quality-Adjusted Life Years
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Quality-Adjusted Life Years; cf.
Whitehead SJ and Ali S. Health outcomes in economic evaluation: the QALY and utilities.
Br Med Bull 2010; 96: 5-21.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Change in unpaid support provided by family members or friends, as assessed by the Burden of informal caregivers
Time Frame: Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Burden of informal caregivers; cf.
van Exel NJ, Koopmanschap MA, van den Berg B, et al.
Burden of informal caregiving for stroke patients.
Identification of caregivers at risk of adverse health effects.
Cerebrovasc Dis 2005; 19: 11-17.
|
Before the 3-week treatment period; immediately after the 3-week treatment period; 6- and 12-month follow ups
|
Collaborators and Investigators
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
Sponsor
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Agnes Floeel, Prof., University Medicine Greifswald
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.
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)
December 6, 2019
Primary Completion (Estimated)
February 4, 2024
Study Completion (Estimated)
August 4, 2024
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
April 16, 2019
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
April 25, 2019
First Posted (Actual)
April 29, 2019
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
June 6, 2023
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
June 5, 2023
Last Verified
June 1, 2023
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
Other Study ID Numbers
- DC-Train-Aphasia
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.
Clinical Trials on Aphasia
-
University of South CarolinaNational Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)CompletedStroke | Aphasia | Stroke, Ischemic | Aphasia, Broca | Aphasia, Anomic | Aphasia, Global | Aphasia, Fluent | Aphasia, Mixed | Aphasia, Jargon | Aphasia, Expressive | Aphasia, ConductionUnited States
-
University of Texas at AustinUniversity of California, San Francisco; National Institute on Deafness and...Active, not recruitingPrimary Progressive Aphasia | Aphasia | Semantic Dementia | Logopenic Progressive Aphasia | Semantic Memory Disorder | Nonfluent Aphasia, Progressive | Aphasia, ProgressiveUnited States
-
Institute for Bioengineering of CataloniaHospital Universitari Joan XXIII de Tarragona.; Universitat Pompeu FabraCompletedAphasia | Aphasia, Broca | Aphasia, Wernicke | Aphasia, Fluent | Aphasia, NonfluentSpain
-
Flint Rehabilitation Devices, LLCUniversity of TexasCompleted
-
Mayo ClinicNational Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)RecruitingPrimary Progressive Aphasia | Apraxia of Speech | PPA | Non-fluent Aphasia | Primary Progressive Non-fluent AphasiaUnited States
-
University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, San Francisco; California State University, East Bay and other collaboratorsRecruitingAphasia | Aphasia, Acquired | Aphasia Non Fluent | Aphasia, FluentUnited States
-
Mayo ClinicCompletedPrimary Progressive Aphasia | Aphasia | Semantic Dementia | Apraxia of Speech | Primary Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia | PPA | Non-fluent Aphasia | Progressive AphasiaUnited States
-
Montreal Heart InstituteActive, not recruitingNeurodegenerative Diseases | Primary Progressive Aphasia | Semantic Dementia | Logopenic Progressive Aphasia | Non-fluent AphasiaCanada
-
Johns Hopkins UniversityNational Institute on Aging (NIA)RecruitingPrimary Progressive Aphasia | Logopenic Progressive Aphasia | Non-Fluent Primary Progressive AphasiaUnited States, Canada
-
University of British ColumbiaTerminatedPrimary Progressive Nonfluent AphasiaCanada
Clinical Trials on Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with speech-language therapy (SLT, including naming therapy and communicative-pragmatic therapy)
-
Louisiana State University and A&M CollegeNot yet recruitingStroke | AphasiaUnited States
-
Louisiana State University and A&M CollegeCompletedClinical Feasibility of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation [tDCS] With Standard Aphasia TherapyStroke | AphasiaUnited States
-
University Medicine GreifswaldUnfallkrankenhaus Berlin; Kliniken Beelitz GmbH; P.A.N.-ZentrumUnknownTBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) | Aphasia | tDCSGermany
-
Medical College of WisconsinRecruiting
-
Johns Hopkins UniversityUniversity of South CarolinaCompleted
-
University of PennsylvaniaSuspended
-
University of PennsylvaniaRecruiting
-
Midwestern UniversitySouthern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University; New Jersey Institute of Technology and other collaboratorsRecruitingConvergence InsufficiencyUnited States
-
Medical College of WisconsinRecruitingStroke | AphasiaUnited States
-
University of AarhusAarhus University Hospital; Regionshospitalet Hammel NeurocenterCompleted