tDCS in Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury

Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc.

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Disorders of Consciousness; Acquired Brain Injury

Treatments: Device: tDCS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03618849

IRB00174966

Details and patient eligibility

About

In this preliminary study, we will examine the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), in the setting of dosage escalation, as a candidate intervention for children with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).

Full description

Previous studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is safe and effective in adults with chronic Acquired Brain Injury. Limited data have established the safety of tDCS in children with neuropsychiatric and neuromotor disorders. However, these tDCS safety paradigms may not be relevant to children with ABI due to their abnormal brain structure and function, decreased ability to communicate, variable symptomology, and time-consuming care needs that exist in this population.

In this open-label, single-group, dosage escalation study, investigators aim to assess the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of incrementally higher tDCS currents in 10 pediatric patients with ABI on an inpatient rehabilitation unit. The study will include up to three sessions of tDCS (sham, 1mA, and then 2 mA) either over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or over the primary motor cortex based on the goal to evaluate change in either cognitive or motor function. We will also explore whether tDCS improves consciousness in pediatric DOC. Mozart classical music, as a concurrent intervention, will be played during sham, 1 mA, and 2 mA tDCS applications.

Enrollment: 1 patient

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 5 through 17 years
• History of acquired brain injury.
• Currently inpatient at the Kennedy Krieger Rehabilitation Unit.
• Parent and child proficient in English.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with extensive focal lesions in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and bilateral primary motor cortex as determined by review of imaging and/or imaging reports obtained as part of clinical care.
• Youth with known seizures in the month prior to study enrollment.
• Participants with non-convulsive seizures and/or interictal epileptiform discharges observed on study screening extended EEG.
• Females with confirmed pregnancy on urine test.
• Youth with history of craniotomy surgery, metallic cerebral, cochlear or electronic implant in the head or neck area, or ventricular shunt or pacemaker.
• Patients requiring daytime mechanical ventilation.
• Children with head circumference less than 43 cm
• Bilateral severe or profound hearing loss
• Presence of hairstyle interfering with tDCS application and/or high quality EEG signal
• Youth in foster care.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Sequential Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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1 participants in 3 patient groups

Sham tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

Post initial screening and baseline data collection, all study participants (a single cohort of patients) will receive a single dose of sham tDCS for 20 minutes over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) or the primary motor cortex in conjunction with Mozart piano sonata. For sham tDCS, the current will be ramped up and immediately ramped down for 30 seconds. The sham tDCS session will be preceded and followed by behavioral assessments.

Treatment:

Device: tDCS

1-mA tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

Post sham-tDCS, we will determine the eligibility of the participant to receive 1 mA of real tDCS based on the occurrence of adverse events and seizures occurring within 5 days of the sham session. After a minimum of 5 days post-sham stimulation (and typically around 7 days later), the participant will receive a single dose of 1-mA current (for head circumference \>52 cm; children with head circumference 43-52cm will receive 0.5-mA) over left DLPFC or M1 in conjunction with Mozart piano sonata. The participant will receive 1-mA current for 20 minutes; the current will be ramped up for 30 seconds, will held constant at the determined intensity for 20 minutes, and then ramped down for 10 seconds. The 1-mA tDCS session will be preceded and followed by behavioral assessments.

Treatment:

Device: tDCS

2-mA tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

Post 1-mA tDCS, we will again determine the eligibility of the participant to receive 2 mA current. After a minimum of 5 days post-1 mA stimulation (typically 7 days), the participant will receive a single dose of 2-mA current (if head circumference \>52cm; children with head circumference 43-52cm will receive 1-mA) over left DLPFC or M1 in conjunction with Mozart piano sonata. The participant will receive 2-mA current for 20 minutes; the current will be ramped up for 30 seconds, will held constant at the determined intensity for 20 minutes, and then ramped down for 10 seconds. The 2-mA tDCS session will be preceded and followed by behavioral assessments.

Treatment:

Device: tDCS