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Effect of Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Cerebrovascular Reactivity and Cognition in Chronic Stroke Patients

31. mai 2026 oppdatert av: Ahmed Safwat Kamal, Cairo University
This study will be conducted to assess the effect of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation on cerebrovascular reactivity and cognition in chronic stroke patients

Studieoversikt

Detaljert beskrivelse

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, resulting in physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments. These impairments significantly affect individuals, families, and communities. It imposes a substantial social and financial burden on healthcare systems and economies. Deficits in cognitive functions are highly associated with reduced treatment outcomes after stroke. This interferes with social and occupational recovery and limit psychosocial functioning.

Introducing new therapeutic methods such as non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) alongside traditional rehabilitation is essential for enhancing cognitive function after stroke. Vagus nerve stimulation can be invasive or non-invasive. Non-invasive method of VNS via transcutaneous stimulation of the peripheral auricular branch of the Vagus nerve (taVNS) is safer, better-tolerated method for delivering VNS with the same effect of invasive VNS.

There are few key human studies that assessed the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) on cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) and cognition in chronic stroke patients. Up to our knowledge, this is the first Egyptian study that will assess the effect of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on cerebrovascular reactivity and cognition in chronic stroke patients. This study will hopefully be of benefit in the physical therapy field. This may guide rehabilitation programs of physical therapy toward better results.

Studietype

Intervensjonell

Registrering (Antatt)

40

Fase

  • Ikke aktuelt

Kontakter og plasseringer

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Studiekontakt

Studer Kontakt Backup

Studiesteder

      • Cairo, Egypt
        • Ahmed Safwat Kamal

Deltakelseskriterier

Forskere ser etter personer som passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kalt kvalifikasjonskriterier. Noen eksempler på disse kriteriene er en persons generelle helsetilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Kvalifikasjonskriterier

Alder som er kvalifisert for studier

  • Voksen

Tar imot friske frivillige

Nei

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Forty chronic ischemic hemiparetic patients, of both sexes, will represent the sample.
  • The patient's age will range from 50 to 60 years old.
  • Duration of illness will range from six months to twelve months.
  • Patients with mild cognitive impairment according to Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale (from 18 to 25).
  • Spasticity will be 1 or 1+ according to Modified Aschworth scale.
  • Educated patients.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The patients will be excluded if they have one of the followings:
  • Patients with other neurological disease that affect cognition.
  • Visual, verbal or hearing impairments that can interfere with communication.
  • Depression assessed by Hamilton Depression Scale (Ham-D).
  • Patients with poor bone window.
  • History of psychiatric disease.
  • Hemorrhagic stroke patients.
  • Uncontrolled blood pressure or low heart rate.
  • Uncontrolled diabetes (>130 mg/dL especially if consistently over 150 to 160 mg/dL)
  • Patients with any taVNS contraindications (open heart surgery, pacemaker or other implants, previous surgical intervention on Vagus nerve, Facial or ear pain, and recent ear trauma)
  • Stroke patients with severe cognitive impairment.
  • Uncooperative patients.

Studieplan

Denne delen gir detaljer om studieplanen, inkludert hvordan studien er utformet og hva studien måler.

Hvordan er studiet utformet?

Designdetaljer

  • Primært formål: Behandling
  • Tildeling: Randomisert
  • Intervensjonsmodell: Parallell tildeling
  • Masking: Dobbelt

Våpen og intervensjoner

Deltakergruppe / Arm
Intervensjon / Behandling
Eksperimentell: True trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation group
Patients will receive true trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation and computer based cognitive rehabilitation training (CBCR; RehaCom), in addition to conventional physical therapy program.
Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation will be done through EME Therapic 9200 electrotherapy device (EME Physio, Via degli Abeti 88/161122 Pesaro (PU), Italy). A clip electrode will be applied on cymba conchae of left ear. Stimulation parameters will be set to 30 minutes treatment time, a pulse width of 300 microseconds, pulse frequency 30 HZ and a pulsed mode with a duty cycle of 50% (30 sec on and 30 sec off time).
The physical therapy program will include strengthening exercises to the antispastic muscles, stretching exercises to spastic muscles, gait training exercises, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercises for upper limb and lower limb, and graduated balance exercise.
  • RehaCom (Dr. G. Schuhfrted Ges.m.b.II., model No. A-2340 device) will be used in this study for assessment and training two cognitive domains: attention/concentration and figural memory. Each patient will be in a comfortable sitting position in front of a screen during the session. The two domains will be assessed at the end of each session.
  • Attention/concentration domain (AC) includes 24 levels of difficulty. Assessment will start at level one and will be advanced to more challenging levels.
  • Figural memory domain includes nine levels of difficulty. Assessment will start at level one and will be advanced to more challenging levels.

Each cognitive training session will last 30 minutes, with 15 minutes dedicated to each targeted domain.

Aktiv komparator: Sham trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation group
Patients will receive sham trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation (ta-VNS), and computer based cognitive rehabilitation training (CBCR; RehaCom) in addition to conventional physical therapy program.
The physical therapy program will include strengthening exercises to the antispastic muscles, stretching exercises to spastic muscles, gait training exercises, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercises for upper limb and lower limb, and graduated balance exercise.
  • RehaCom (Dr. G. Schuhfrted Ges.m.b.II., model No. A-2340 device) will be used in this study for assessment and training two cognitive domains: attention/concentration and figural memory. Each patient will be in a comfortable sitting position in front of a screen during the session. The two domains will be assessed at the end of each session.
  • Attention/concentration domain (AC) includes 24 levels of difficulty. Assessment will start at level one and will be advanced to more challenging levels.
  • Figural memory domain includes nine levels of difficulty. Assessment will start at level one and will be advanced to more challenging levels.

Each cognitive training session will last 30 minutes, with 15 minutes dedicated to each targeted domain.

Patients will receive false trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation through EME Therapic 9200 electrotherapy device (EME Physio, Via degli Abeti 88/161122 Pesaro (PU), Italy). The ear clip electrode will be attached to the center of the left earlobe of the patient, as it is free from vagus innervation. Stimulation parameters will be set to 30 minutes treatment time, a pulse width of 300 microseconds, pulse frequency 30 HZ and a pulsed mode with a duty cycle of 50% (30 sec on and 30 sec off time).

Hva måler studien?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Breathing holding index
Tidsramme: 4 weeks

Transcranial doppler ultrasonography technique will be used to assess cerebrovascular reactivity by measuring the percentage increase in cerebral blood flow velocity during apnea, divided by the duration of breath hold in seconds.

Breath holding index will be calculated according to the following equation: BHI= ((Mean Flow Velocity (MFV) post- Mean Flow Velocity (MFV)rest/ Mean Flow Velocity (MFV)rest) × (100/Duration in second)) normal range:1.03-1.65.

4 weeks

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MOCA):
Tidsramme: 4 weeks
It will be used to assess cognition before and after treatment period for all patients. Each patient will be asked to write and draw using the non-affected hand. The test consists of a single page, with reading items presented in a clear and appropriately sized font. The assessment will include short-term memory, executive functions, visuospatial abilities, language, attention, concentration, working memory, and temporal and spatial orientation. Total score of MoCA is from 0 to 30. From 26-30 is normal cognition, from 18-25 is mild cognitive impairment (MCI), from 10-17 is moderate cognitive impairment, and less than ten is Severe cognitive impairment.
4 weeks
Attention/concentration domain (AC)
Tidsramme: 4 weeks

RehaCom (Dr. G. Schuhfrted Ges.m.b.II., model No. A-2340 device) will be used in this study to assess and rehabilitate the cognitive function in stroke patients. It is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing and improving cognitive functions in stroke patients. Attention/concentration domain (AC) includes 24 levels of difficulty. Assessment will start at level one and will be advanced to more challenging levels.

normal range :10-12 level; indicative cognitive impairment: below 10 level

4 weeks
Figural memory domain
Tidsramme: 4 weeks

RehaCom (Dr. G. Schuhfrted Ges.m.b.II., model No. A-2340 device) will be used in this study to assess and rehabilitate the cognitive function in stroke patients. It is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing and improving cognitive functions in stroke patients. Figural memory domain includes 9 levels of difficulty. Assessment will start at level one and will be advanced to more challenging levels.

normal range :7-8 level; indicative cognitive impairment: below 7 level

4 weeks

Samarbeidspartnere og etterforskere

Det er her du vil finne personer og organisasjoner som er involvert i denne studien.

Etterforskere

  • Studieleder: Mohamed Soliman, Professor, Cairo University
  • Studieleder: Shimaa Mohamed, Professor, Cairo University
  • Studiestol: Moshera Darwish, Professor, Cairo University

Studierekorddatoer

Disse datoene sporer fremdriften for innsending av studieposter og sammendragsresultater til ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter og rapporterte resultater gjennomgås av National Library of Medicine (NLM) for å sikre at de oppfyller spesifikke kvalitetskontrollstandarder før de legges ut på det offentlige nettstedet.

Studer hoveddatoer

Studiestart (Antatt)

1. juni 2026

Primær fullføring (Antatt)

15. februar 2027

Studiet fullført (Antatt)

28. februar 2027

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først innsendt

31. mai 2026

Først innsendt som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

31. mai 2026

Først lagt ut (Faktiske)

4. juni 2026

Oppdateringer av studieposter

Sist oppdatering lagt ut (Faktiske)

4. juni 2026

Siste oppdatering sendt inn som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

31. mai 2026

Sist bekreftet

1. mai 2026

Mer informasjon

Begreper knyttet til denne studien

Legemiddel- og utstyrsinformasjon, studiedokumenter

Studerer et amerikansk FDA-regulert medikamentprodukt

Nei

Studerer et amerikansk FDA-regulert enhetsprodukt

Nei

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