Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Dysphagia Therapy in Acute Stroke Patients

University Hospital Muenster

Status: Completed

Conditions: Dysphagia; Stroke

Treatments: Device: Sham stimulation; Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01970384

2010-140

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether transcranial direct current stimulation of the cerebral swallow motor cortex in addition to standard care can enhance recovery of swallow function in acute dysphagic stroke patients compared to sham treatment plus standard care.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 90 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• dysphagia due to acute stroke

Exclusion criteria

• preexisting dysphagia
• comorbidities that can possibly cause dysphagia
• psychiatric comorbidities
• pacemaker or other implanted electronic devices
• inability to give informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

Transcranial direct current stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

20 Minutes of transcranial direct current stimulation (20 min, 1 mA) administered over the contralesional cortical swallow motor area once daily over 4 consecutive days. In case of a brainstem stroke stimulation will be applied over the cortical swallow motor area of the right hemisphere.

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation

Sham stimulation

Sham Comparator group

Description:

20 Minutes of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (20 min, no current applied) administered over the contralesional cortical swallow motor area once daily over 4 consecutive days. In case of a brainstem stroke sham stimulation will be applied over the cortical swallow motor area of the right hemisphere.

Treatment:

Device: Sham stimulation