Efficacy Basics of Bihemispheric Motorcortex Stimulation After Stroke

Charité University Medicine Berlin

Status: Completed

Conditions: Stroke; Hemiparesis

Treatments: Behavioral: Motor training; Device: tDCS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01969097

MotorCtx-Stroke-tDCS

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to investigate whether the combination of bihemispheric ("dual") transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and motor training on 5 consecutive days facilitates motor recovery in chronic stroke. Results will be compared to a matched group of patients undergoing anodal tDCS as well as a control group receiving sham tDCS. Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before/after the intervention and during a 3 month follow-up will help investigating neural correlates of expected changes in motor function of the affected upper extremity.

Enrollment: 50 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• chronic stroke (>6 months after stroke)
• age: 18 to 80 years
• non-hemorrhagic or hemorrhagic stroke

Exclusion criteria

• more than 1 stroke
• severe alcohol disease or drug abuse, severe psychiatric disease like depression or psychosis
• severe cognitive deficits
• severe untreated medical conditions
• other neurologic diseases
• severe microangiopathy
• pregnancy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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50 participants in 3 patient groups

Dual tDCS + motor training

Experimental group

Description:

Motor training of the affected upper extremity combined with dual transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motor training

Device: tDCS

Anodal tDCS + motor training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Motor training of the affected upper extremity combined with anodal tDCS.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motor training

Device: tDCS

Sham tDCS + motor training

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Motor training of the affected upper extremity combined with sham tDCS.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motor training

Device: tDCS