The Effect of Non-invasive Brian Stimulation on Language Production in Healthy Older Adults
- Conditions
- Language DisordersStrokeAphasia
- Interventions
- Device: Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)
- Registration Number
- NCT04260815
- Lead Sponsor
- King's College London
- Brief Summary
The use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) for rehabilitation of language is a growing field that needs further studies to determine how best it can be used to enhance treatment outcomes. It has been shown that tDCS can improve language performance in healthy and brain-injured individuals such as increased naming accuracy.
However, at present, it is not known what effect tDCS has on higher-level language skills like discourse production (i.e. story telling, giving instructions) in healthy, older speakers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate in healthy older adults, the effect of tDCS on discourse production as well as the ideal tDCS electrode placement for improving language at the discourse level. It is hypothesised that tDCS will result in greater language changes and improvements during discourse production compared to no stimulation.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 14
- At least 65 years of age
- Native English speakers
- Right handed
- Normal aided or unaided visual acuity
- At least secondary school level of education
- History of neurological disease or cognitive impairment
- Any contraindication of tDCS (i.e. history of seizures, metal implants)
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description anodal tDCS on the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) - sham tDCS Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) - anodal tDCS on the right IFG Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) -
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in percent of Correct Information Units pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention The percent of accurately produced words that provide information relevant to the language task
Change in word total pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention total number of words in a language sample
Change in utterance total pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention total number of utterances (complete sentences including a predicate and argument) in a language sample
Change in verb total pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention total number of verbs in a language sample
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) 7 days HADS is a 14-item scale which assesses non-somatic anxiety and depression symptoms experienced in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 21 for each sub-scale with a score ≥8 proposed for the identification of caseness, for both depression and anxiety.
EPIC Physical Activity Questionnaire (EPAQ2) 12 months The EPAQ2 is a self completed questionnaire which collects information on a person's physical activity levels at home, work and recreation. Based on total activity hours in the last 12 months, the physical activity index categorises levels of physical activity into 'active', 'moderately inactive', 'moderately active' or 'active'.
The Keele Assessment of Participation (KAP) 4 weeks The KAP is a short questionnaire that measures participation levels in various activities such as activities of daily living, social activities and work in the last 4 weeks. A score of 0 indicates no restriction in participation whereas scores from 1-11 indicate a restriction in participation in at least one activity ( the higher the score the greater the restriction).
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
King's College London
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom