Improving Rehabilitation by Magnetic Brain Stimulation

US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 1

Conditions: Stroke

Treatments: Device: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT00636701

B4657-P

Details and patient eligibility

About

We hope to understand the properties of the motor cortex in the brain of people with stroke using non-invasive magnetic stimulation.

Full description

This case series assesses the effects of five consecutive days of low-frequency (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with and without a 6-Hz primer. Although this paper studies able-bodied individuals, similar rTMS protocols are used to facilitate motor recovery in patients with hemiplegia following stroke. However, the cortical mechanisms associated with repeated daily doses of rTMS are not completely understood.

Enrollment: 4 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 3-24 months post stroke
• upper limb paresis
• CES-D below 16,

Exclusion criteria

• history of seizure
• metal in head
• score of less than 24 on the Folstein Mini-Mental Status Exam
• clinical judgement of excessive frailty or lack of stamina (e.g. cannot attend to instructions, stay awake, engage in functional activities)
• serious uncontrolled medical condition
• excessive pain in any joint of the more affected extremity that could limit ability to cooperate with the intervention as judged by the examining clinician

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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4 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Primed rTMS

Experimental group

Description:

Receive 10 min. of 6-Hz rTMS Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at 90% RMT (3,600 pulses). Followed by 30 min. of 1-Hz rTMS at 95% RMT (1,880 pulses)

Treatment:

Device: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Unprimed rTMS)

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Receive 10 min. of sham rTMS Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Followed by 30 min. of 1-Hz rTMS at 95% RMT (1,880 pulses)

Treatment:

Device: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation