Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Patients With Isolated Cervical Dystonia (CD)
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Where
- Germany1 site in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
- Trial code
- Status
- Completed
- People taking part
- 15 people enrolled
- Started
- 15 Sept 2024
- Ended
- 6 Jan 2026
- Type of study
- Interventional, 3 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Anodal and cathodal ctDCS
- Sham stimulation
- Record updated
- 19 May 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 7 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Clinical diagnosis of isolated cervical dystonia
- Written informed consent by the patient
Who cannot take part
- Intake of centrally acting medication
- History of other neurological disorders other than CD
- Contraindications to TMS, such as metallic implants, pregnancy and history of seizures
- Secondary dystonia
- Severe head tremor
This trial has no sites in United States.
It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Cervical dystonia (CD) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions of the neck, leading to abnormal head postures and movement, pain and impaired motor function. Current treatments for CD, such as botulinum toxin injections and physical therapy, may not always provide sufficient relief of symptoms and may fail to offer long-term benefits for patients. As a result, new therapeutic approaches are needed. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that modulates neuronal activity. Recent neurophysiological studies suggest that cerebellar tDCS (ctDCS), in particular, could be beneficial in modulating the activity of the sensorimotor network in CD. This clinical trial aims to investigate the effects of ctDCS on the excitability of the sensorimotor network and motor symptom severity in CD patients. Applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) we will evaluate the effects of anodal, cathodal and sham ctDCS to improve the understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying CD and the potential therapeutic role of ctDCS.
The 3 groups in the trial
- Anodal ctDCSExisting treatment, for comparison
Patients receive anodal ctDCS stimulation for 20 minutes with 2 mA
Treatment: Anodal and cathodal ctDCS
- Cathodal ctDCSExisting treatment, for comparison
Patients receive cathodal ctDCS stimulation for 20 minutes with 2 mA
Treatment: Anodal and cathodal ctDCS
- Sham stimulationSham treatment, for comparison
Patients receive ctDCS stimulation for 20 minutes with 0 mA
Data and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- A Randomized, Sham-controlled Study of Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Its Effects on the Neurophysiological Properties of the Sensorimotor Network and Motor Symptom Severity in Patients With Isolated Cervical Dystonia (CD)
- Record updated
- 19 May 2026