Direct Measurement of Motor Cortical Responses to tDCS

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Parkinson Disease; Chronic Stroke

• Registration Number: NCT04759898
• Lead Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina

Brief Summary

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown the potential to improve symptoms in patients with movement deficits, such as Parkinson's disease and chronic stroke. However, the effects of tDCS have so far not been proven on a wider scale due to lack of knowledge regarding exactly how tDCS works. This has limited the adoption of this potentially useful therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease, chronic stroke and other conditions affecting movement. The investigators hypothesize that by studying the effects of tDCS in subjects performing a motor task, the brain signals mediating improvements in motor control will be identified. The investigators will use both noninvasive and invasive methods to explore this hypothesis. The investigators expect this combined approach to broaden understanding of tDCS application in conditions affecting movement and possibly lead to therapeutic advances in these populations.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-12-21
• Study Start: 2021-01-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-02-15
• Study First Posted: 2021-02-18
• Primary Completion: 2025-01-01
• Study Completion: 2025-01-01
• Status Verified: 2025-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-06-17
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 18 or older
• Previous consent to be contacted regarding potential participation in a research study at Medical University of South Carolina

Exclusion Criteria

• Subjects unable to actively participate in the consent process physically and/or cognitively
• Pregnancy
• Presence of scalp injury or disease
• Prior history of seizures
• Metal implants in head or neck
• Prior intracranial surgery
• Prior brain radiotherapy
• Prior history of intracranial tumor, intracranial infection or cerebrovascular malformation

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in primary motor cortical (PriMC) beta oscillations during cued arm reaching in relation to anodal tDCS activation	Subjects will undergo baseline EEG recording 5 min before tDCS starts, during tDCS (5 min after stimulation starts) and 5 min after tDCS stimulation ends. Measurements will be made similarly during sham stimulation.	EEG is used to track beta spectral power during a cued motor task in conjuction with transcranial direct current stimulation or sham
Change in primary motor cortical (PriMC) beta oscillations during arm flexion in relation to anodal tDCS activation	Subjects will undergo baseline ECoG recording 5 min before tDCS starts, during tDCS (5 min after stimulation starts) and 5 min after tDCS stimulation ends. Measurements will be made similarly during sham stimulation.	ECoG is used to track beta spectral power during an arm flexion task in conjuction with transcranial direct current stimulation

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Medical University of South Carolina; 🇺🇸 Charleston, South Carolina, United States