Brain stimulation with a weak electrical current for chronic migraine
Tests gentle brain stimulation to lower headache days in adults with chronic migraine.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: EFFECT OF ANODAL TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION (tDCS) OF PRIMARY MOTOR CORTEX ON HEADACHE FREQUENCY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MIGRAINE
Key facts
- Where
- New Delhi, IndiaSee the site
- Phase
- Phase 3
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 60 years old?
Source: NCT07743814, who can take part
Where in India
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia HospitalNew Delhi, IndiaNo 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
- Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
- Trial code
- NCT07743814
- Record updated
- 4 August 2026
- Original description
Migraine is a common, heterogeneous neurological disorder affecting approximately 10-15% of the global population and is the third most prevalent disease worldwide. A wide range of pharmacological agents is available for migraine prophylaxis, with treatment selection generally guided by the patient's clinical profile, associated comorbidities, and individual tolerability. However, the effectiveness of preventive medications is often limited by adverse effects, leading to poor treatment adherence and discontinuation. Consequently, non-pharmacological interventions, particularly neuromodulation techniques, have gained increasing attention as potential therapeutic options for chronic migraine.Read full original descriptionShow less
EFFECT OF ANODAL TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION (tDCS) OF PRIMARY MOTOR CORTEX ON HEADACHE FREQUENCY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MIGRAINE
Migraine is a common, heterogeneous neurological disorder affecting approximately 10-15% of the global population and is the third most prevalent disease worldwide. A wide range of pharmacological agents is available for migraine prophylaxis, with treatment selection generally guided by the patient's clinical profile, associated comorbidities, and individual tolerability. However, the effectiveness of preventive medications is often limited by adverse effects, leading to poor treatment adherence and discontinuation. Consequently, non-pharmacological interventions, particularly neuromodulation techniques, have gained increasing attention as potential therapeutic options for chronic migraine.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that has demonstrated efficacy in modulating refractory pain in patients with chronic migraine, fibromyalgia, spinal cord injury, and trigeminal neuralgia. In addition, it has shown therapeutic benefits in several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of anodal tDCS applied over the primary motor cortex as an adjunctive therapy for reducing headache frequency in patients with chronic migraine.
A total of 32 participants with chronic migraine will be enrolled and randomized using block randomization with a block size of four, stratified according to the presence or absence of medication-overuse headache (MOH), through an online randomization generator. Participants will be allocated to receive either active or sham tDCS. Before randomization, all eligible patients will maintain a baseline headache diary for four weeks while continuing their existing prophylactic medications. Thereafter, they will undergo three 20-minute stimulation sessions administered during weeks 1, 5, and 9. Treatment outcomes will be evaluated at weeks 5, 9, and 12 using headache diary records and predefined objective assessment tools.
Inclusion: Patients aged 18-60 years diagnosed with chronic migraine as per ICHD-3; Patients who were on a minimum of one concomitant preventive medication for not less than three months duration and a dose that was stable for at least one month prior to randomization; Willingness to provide informed consent and maintain a headache diary.
Exclusion: Patients with pacemakers, cochlear implants; Patients with neurologic diseases such as tumours, seizures, dementia, meningitis, stroke, etc; Patients with barbiturate/opioid overuse or complications due to NSAID overuse; Patients failing to complete headache diary for more than 6 non-consecutive days during baseline; Illiterate patients without a caregiver to maintain the diary; Pregnant women.