Evaluating Anodal tDCS Preceding Aphasia Therapy

Phase 1

Terminated

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to determine if non-invasive brain stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation) delivered prior to language therapy will improve word-finding in individuals with aphasia who are 6 months or greater post-stroke.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

≥ 18 years of age
First single focal unilateral left hemisphere lesion with diagnosis verified by brain imaging (MRI or CT scans) that occurred at least 6 months prior
Pre-morbidly right handed
Pre-morbidly fluent English speaker
Cognitive function sufficient to understand the experiments and follow instructions (per interview with Speech Pathologist)
A baseline Aphasia Quotient score between 10 to 94 out of 100 points on the Western Aphasia Battery (neither completely without language comprehension/expression nor fully recovered from aphasia).

Exclusion Criteria

Ongoing use of CNS-active medications
Ongoing use of psychoactive medications, such as stimulants, antidepressants, and anti-psychotic medications
Presence of additional potential tDCS risk factors:
- Damaged skin at the site of stimulation (i.e., skin with ingrown hairs, acne, razor nicks, wounds that have not healed, recent scar tissue, broken skin, etc.)
- Presence of an electrically, magnetically or mechanically activated implant (including cardiac pacemaker), an intracerebral vascular clip, or any other electrically sensitive support system
- Metal in any part of the body, including metal injury to the eye (jewelry must be removed during stimulation)
- A history of medication-resistant epilepsy in the family
- Past history of seizures or unexplained spells of loss of consciousness during the previous 36 months
Pregnancy in women, as determined by self-report

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
anodal tDCS, then sham tDCS	transcranial direct current stimulation	Participants received 1 single 20 min session of anodal tDCS + computerized naming therapy. Following a 1 week washout period, they received 1 single 20 min session of sham tDCS + computerized aphasia therapy. Sequence of stimulation conditions was randomized across participants.
sham tDCS, then anodal tDCS	transcranial direct current stimulation	Participants received 1 single 20 min session of sham tDCS + computerized naming therapy. Following a 1 week washout period, they received 1 single 20 min session of anodal tDCS + computerized aphasia therapy. Sequence of stimulation conditions was randomized across participants.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mean Change in Picture-naming Accuracy Score	baseline, discharge	The mean change in verbal picture-naming accuracy score (out of 75) was calculated from baseline to discharge in each condition (sham and active tDCS).

Secondary Outcome Measures