Brain stimulation tested for motor recovery after first ischemic stroke
Tests personalized brain stimulation in adults recovering from a first ischemic stroke.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Individual Alpha Frequency-Based rTMS for Post-Stroke Motor Recovery: Efficacy and Neurophysiological Mechanisms
Key facts
- Where
- Douliu, TaiwanSee the site
Where in Taiwan
- Department of neurology, National Taiwan Univeristy Hospital Yunlin branchDouliu, TaiwanNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- National Taiwan University Hospital
- Trial code
- NCT07498777
- Record updated
- 27 March 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a personalized brain stimulation technique, Individual Alpha Frequency (IAF)-based rTMS, for motor function recovery in adult patients with a first-ever ischemic stroke.Read full original descriptionShow less
Individual Alpha Frequency-Based rTMS for Post-Stroke Motor Recovery: Efficacy and Neurophysiological Mechanisms
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a personalized brain stimulation technique, Individual Alpha Frequency (IAF)-based rTMS, for motor function recovery in adult patients with a first-ever ischemic stroke.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Does IAF-based rTMS improve upper and lower limb motor recovery better than a sham (placebo) stimulation? 2. How does this personalized stimulation affect brain wave activity (cortical oscillatory dynamics) as measured by EEG?
Researchers will compare active IAF-based rTMS with a sham stimulation control in a crossover design to see if the active treatment leads to better clinical motor outcomes and beneficial changes in brain activity.
Participants will:
1. Be randomly assigned to one of two sequences: receiving two weeks of active IAF-rTMS followed by two weeks of sham stimulation, or vice versa. 2. Attend 30-minute brain stimulation sessions, targeted at the motor cortex, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks. 3. Undergo clinical motor function assessments (including NIHSS, FMA-UE, and FMA-LE) and EEG recordings at three time points: at baseline, after 2 weeks, and at the end of the 4-week study.
Inclusion: Age >18; First ischemic stroke patient, confirmed by brain MRI; Has not received repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment after this stroke episode; Cortical, subcortical infarction with motor impairment; Baseline ADL intact (Full score of pre-stroke Barthel Index); Clear consciousness and with the ability to understand and cooperate with the study; NIHSS 5-20, or FMA-UE 20-50, or FMA-LE 15-25; Within 2 to 12 weeks after stroke onset; Participants had received stable treatment prior to the trial or were evaluated by a physician as having an inadequate response to conventional rehabilitation therapy.
Exclusion: Known previous peripheral nerve injury or peripheral neuropathy on the affected side that impairs mobility; Patients currently using anti-epileptic drugs; Unstable condition; Stroke primarily caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability or autoimmune diseases (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome); Individual history of epilepsy; Presence of cardiac pacemakers, cochlear implants, drug delivery pumps, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, implanted neurostimulators, or other metal objects in the body. This also includes patients who have undergone cranioplasty or have other implanted devices incompatible with rTMS; Use of tricyclic antidepressants or other medications that may lower the seizure threshold; Family history of epilepsy; Patients with brain injuries that may affect the seizure threshold; Patients who develop sleep disorders during the course of rTMS treatment; Patients with severe heart disease or patients with uncontrolled migraines caused by increased intracranial pressure; Hemorrhagic transformation in the brain; Pregnancy; Multiple sclerosis patient; Severe alcoholism; Hamilton Depression Rating Scale suicide item score ≥ 2; Patients with skin lesions or damage at the intended site of stimulation.