NCT07458503Recruiting
tDCS Combined With Constraint-Induced Therapy in Post-Stroke Upper Limb Rehabilitation
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Constraint-Induced Therapy on Upper Limb Motor Function in Individuals After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 11 Aug 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The objective of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with constraint-induced therapy (CIT) on upper limb motor recovery in individuals after stroke. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the combination of tDCS and CIT improve upper limb motor function compared to CIT alone? Does the combined intervention promote changes in muscle morphology and electromyographic activity? Researchers will compare the group receiving tDCS combined with constraint-induced therapy to the group receiving constraint-induced therapy alone to determine whether the addition of cortical neuromodulation enhances motor recovery outcomes. This is a randomized, controlled, and blinded clinical trial in which participants will be divided into two groups: one group will receive tDCS combined with CIMT, and the other will undergo only CIMT. The protocol will include 18 sessions over six weeks, three times a week. Clinical and instrumental assessments will be performed before, during, and after the intervention, including the Fugl-Meyer scale for the upper limb, musculoskeletal ultrasound for morphological analysis, and surface electromyography for muscle activity assessment.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 40 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 3 Mar 2026
- Start date
- 15 Jun 2026
- Primary completion date
- 15 Dec 2026
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade do Estado do Pará
- Diseases
- Stroke
- NCT number
- NCT07458503
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 40
- From 15 Jun 2026 to the primary completion date, 15 Dec 2026
- 2 sites 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.
Who the study is looking for
- present a clinical diagnosis of stroke confirmed by imaging examination and/or report issued by a neurologist; - are in the chronic phase of the lesion with an occurrence time greater than six months; - hemiparesis with brachial predominance, mild to moderate motor deficit in the affected upper limb defined by a score between 19 and 55 points on the FMA-UE; - have minimum joint integrity to perform the movements required in the protocol with an active range of motion of at least 20° of wrist extension, 10° of extension of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints and 20° of elbow extension considering the standard position of 90° elbow flexion, measured with a Carci® goniometer; - demonstrate the ability to understand and follow simple commands on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (ANNEX II) with a score higher than 23 points for literate persons and lower than 15 points for illiterate persons.
Age in the registry: 40 years to 80 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (2)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| State University of Pará - Center for Biological and Health Sciences (UEPA) Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Belém | Brazil | Recruiting |
| UEAFTO - Unidade de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Belém | Brazil | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.