Impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Motor Cortex on Language Functions in Residual Aphasia

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Residual Aphasia
• Interventions: Device: atDCS; Device: sham tDCS

• Registration Number: NCT01845129
• Lead Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Brief Summary

The present study assesses whether language functions in patients with residual post-stroke aphasia can be improved by transcranial direct current stimulation administered to the primary motor cortex in the language dominant (left) hemisphere.

Detailed Description

Patients will participate in two tDCS sessions (atDCS; sham) in a cross-over within subjects design. tDCS or placebo will be administered during simulatneous fMRI to assess neural signatures of the stimulation. Order of stimulation will be counterbalanced between subjects

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2013-04
• Study Start: 2013-04
• Study First Submitted: 2013-04-30
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-04-30
• Last Update Submitted: 2013-04-30
• Study First Posted: 2013-05-03
• Last Update Posted: 2013-05-03
• Primary Completion: 2014-04
• Study Completion: 2014-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 16

Inclusion Criteria

• right handedness
• German native speaker
• cerebrovascular stroke in left hemisphere (>6 months)
• mild aphasia (according to Aachen Aphasia Test Battery Classification, Huber et al., 1983)
• residual anomia in naming test (>75 correct responses)

Exclusion Criteria

• other current or previous neurological or psychiatric diseases
• alcohol or drug abuse
• MRI contraindication (e.g. magnetic metal, pacemaker, claustrophobia)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
anodal tDCS	atDCS	atDCS will be administered for 20 minutes with 1 milliampere (1 mA) to the left primary hand motor cortex
anodal tDCS	sham tDCS	atDCS will be administered for 20 minutes with 1 milliampere (1 mA) to the left primary hand motor cortex
sham tDCS	atDCS	sham tDCS will be administered to the left primary hand motor cortex
sham tDCS	sham tDCS	sham tDCS will be administered to the left primary hand motor cortex

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Response latency during picture naming task (max. 80)	Change in response latency between assessment 1 (week 1) and assessment 2 (week 2), assessments 1 and 2 are seperated by one week	Subjects are assessed in a cross-over design. The primary outcome measure will be assessed twice in each subject, either during placebo ("sham) stimulation or active (anodal) stimulation with transcranial direct current stimulation. Order of stimulation will be counterbalanced across the group.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in neural activity measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging	Change in fMRI activity between Assessment 1 (week 1) and Assessment 2 (week 2), assessments 1 and 2 are seperated by one week

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Charite, University Medicine, Dept. of Neurology; 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany