Enhance of Language Learning with Neurostimulation

Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aging; Stroke; Aphasia

Treatments: Device: transcranial direct current stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00854893

LI 1892/1-1 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

PV3128

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to test the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex of the language dominant hemisphere on language learning in healthy subjects and stroke patients with aphasia. We hypothesize that anodal stimulation enhances the learning of action words compared to sham and cathodal stimulation.

Full description

The motor cortex is involved at different levels of language processing. It has been demonstrated that the perception of action words activates motor representations in the language-dominant hemisphere. However, it is not known whether modulation of excitability has an effect on learning new action words. Thus, we hypothesize that transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex of the language-dominant hemiphere modulates the acquisition of new action words. The results bear the potential to design new rehabilitative strategies in stroke patients with aphasia. The motor cortex might offer an access to the language network that can be used for interventional approaches such as neurostimulation.

Enrollment: 70 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 86 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age >18 and < 86 years
• contractual capability
• ischemic stroke excluding motor cortex (stroke patients)
• minimum time since stroke 9 months
• aphasia (stroke patients)
• severe aphasia that impedes understanding of instructions (stroke patients)

Exclusion criteria

• sever head trauma in the past
• seizures
• pace maker
• metal implants in the head/neck region
• severe comorbidity, especially neurologic and psychiatric diseases
• intake of illegal drugs
• Mini Mental State examination score < 27
• neuroactive substances, e.g. antidepressants
• pregnancy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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70 participants in 3 patient groups

anodal

Experimental group

Description:

anodal stimulation: 20 min during language learning, intensity: 1 mV, anodal electrode over primary motor cortex of language-dominant hemisphere, reference electrode over contralateral supraorbital area

Treatment:

Device: transcranial direct current stimulation

cathodal

Experimental group

Description:

anodal stimulation: 20 min during language learning, intensity: 1 mV, cathodal electrode over primary motor cortex of language-dominant hemisphere, reference electrode over contralateral supraorbital area

Treatment:

Device: transcranial direct current stimulation

sham (placebo)

Experimental group

Description:

sham stimulation (placebo condition): 30 seconds during language learning, intensity: 1 mV, anodal electrode over primary motor cortex of language-dominant hemisphere, reference electrode over contralateral supraorbital area

Treatment:

Device: transcranial direct current stimulation