Imaging the Effects of Bihemispheric Transcranial Stimulation and Motor Training After Stroke.

Summary

Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to investigate neural correlates of bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) associated with upper limb rehabilitation in chronic stroke patients. For this purpose, patients included will be submitted to 10 sessions with active or sham bihemispheric tDCS associated with intensive and individualized rehabilitation. Neuroimage will be employed before and after the intervention to investigate neural correlates of expected changes in motor function.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

DEVICE

tDCS + upper limb rehabilitation

Stimulation will be applied for 20 minutes by a DC stimulator (NeuroConn, Germany). During each stimulation section, a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (surface 24 cm²) will be placed over C3 and C4, according to the International 10-20 EEG system. Stimulation intensity will be 2 mA with current ramping up and down of 10 seconds each. The stimulation will be followed by 40 minutes of upper limb rehabilitation. Experimental sessions will be repeated five times per week to complete 10 sessions.

DEVICE

Sham tDCS + upper limb rehabilitation

Sham stimulation will be applied for 20 minutes by a DC stimulator (NeuroConn, Germany). During each sham stimulation section, a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (surface 24 cm²) will be placed over C3 and C4, according to the International 10-20 EEG system. The anode will be placed to the affected hemisphere, while the cathode will be positioned over the unaffected hemisphere. Sham tDCS will be performed by ramping current flow for the first 10 seconds of stimulation, but switching the stimulator off automatically after 30 seconds. The sham stimulation will be followed by 40 minutes of upper limb rehabilitation. Experimental sessions will be repeated five times per week to complete 10 sessions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rio de Janeiro State Research Supporting Foundation (FAPERJ)

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior.

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• D'Or Institute for Research and Education

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Fernanda F Tovar-Moll, PhD · D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)

• Erika C Rodrigues, PhD · D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

30 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-10-29

Primary Completion

2020-10-31

Completion

2021-10-31

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations