NCT05479006Recruiting
Determine the Effect of Targeted High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Reducing Post-stroke Upper Limb Motor Impairments
Determine the Effect of Targeted High-definition tDCS on Reducing Post-stroke Upper Limb Motor Impairments
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 23 Oct 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Significant motor impairments occur in 80% of individuals after moderate to severe stroke and impact the body side to the lesioned hemisphere. Typical motor impairments involve loss of dexterity with highly prevalent upper limb flexion synergy. Advances in treating flexion synergy impairments have been hampered by a lack of precision rehabilitation. Previous studies suggest and support the role of cortico-reticulospinal tract (CRST) hyperexcitability in post-stroke flexion synergy. CRST hyperexcitability is often caused by damage to the corticospinal tract (CST). We hypothesize that: 1) inhibiting the contralesional dorsal premotor cortex (cPMd) will directly reduce the CRST hyperexcitability and thus, reduce the expression of the flexion synergy; 2) facilitating the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (iM1) will improve the excitability of the damaged CST, therefore reducing the CRST hyperexcitability and the flexion synergy. we propose to use a novel targeted high-definition tDCS (THD-tDCS) to specifically modulate the targeted cortical regions for testing his hypothesis, via the following aims: Aim 1. Evaluate the effect of cathodal THD-tDCS over the cPMd on reducing the CRST hyperexcitability and the expression of flexion synergy. Aim 2. Evaluate the effect of anodal THD-tDCS over the iM1 on improving the excitability of the CST, and determine whether this, thus, also reduces the CRST hyperexcitability and the flexion synergy. Aim 3. Evaluate the confluence effect of bilateral THD-tDCS, i.e., simultaneous cathodal stimulation over the cPMd and anodal over the iM1.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 30 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 26 Jul 2022
- Start date
- 30 Sept 2022
- Primary completion date
- 30 Jan 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Carle Foundation Hospital
- Diseases
- Stroke
- NCT number
- NCT05479006
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 30
- From 30 Sept 2022 to the primary completion date, 30 Jan 2027
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Severe concurrent medical problems (e.g. cardiorespiratory impairment)
- Metal implants in the head
Other illness
- Muscle tone abnormalities and motor or sensory impairment in the non-paretic limb
Other
- Severe wasting or contracture or significant sensory deficits in the paretic upper limb
- Severe cognitive or affective dysfunction that prevents normal communication and understanding of consent or instruction
- Using a pacemaker
- Known adverse reactions to TMS and tDCS
- Pregnant
Who the study is looking for
- Paresis confined to one side, with substantial motor impairment of the paretic upper limb
- Capacity to provide informed consent
Age in the registry: 18 years to 90 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carle Foundation Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Urbana | United States | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.