Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right-hemisphere on Picture Naming in Chronic Aphasia

The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aphasia

Treatments: Device: tDCS stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05471570

tDCSAphasia

Details and patient eligibility

About

There are two opposing hypotheses, namely the interference and laterality-shift hypotheses, regarding the role of the right hemisphere (RH) in language recovery following a left hemisphere damage. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has received increasing attention as a potential complement to behavioural therapy.

This preliminary study aimed to examine the effect of excitatory (anodal) stimulation of right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on naming abilities of chronic people with aphasia (PWA) to examine the compensatory versus interference role of RH in language recovery, and to confirm the application of tDCS does not induce adverse effects on other cognitive and language functions.

Enrollment: 4 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40 to 90 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• People with chronic aphasia following the stroke

Exclusion criteria

• history of seizure or epilepsy,
• previous adverse reactions to TMS/tDCS,
• having a pace-maker or a metal implanted in the brain
• being pregnant

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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4 participants in 2 patient groups

anodal tDCS

Active Comparator group

Description:

20 minutes of one mA anodal High-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) over right IFG combined with 40 minutes of naming therapy for five consecutive days in week 1

Treatment:

Device: tDCS stimulation

sham tDCS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

20-minutes sham HD-tDCS with 40-minutes therapy of naming therapy for five consecutive days in week 1

Treatment:

Device: tDCS stimulation