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Investigating the Effects of Transcranial Stimulation to Advance Stroke Rehabilitation

NCT06842095 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2025-03-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has the potential to boost rehabilitation after stroke by creating a 'pro-plastic' environment, where the brain is more adaptable in response to movement (motor) training. However, responses to classical NIBS protocols are highly variable.

Movement-related changes in specific brain rhythms have previously been shown to be related to recovery of hand/arm function after a stroke. The investigators propose to use NIBS to target movement-related activity in the beta band (13-30Hz) within the motor cortical regions of the brain. The investigators will use a type of NIBS called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), which uses a sinusoidally-varying electrical current where the stimulation frequency is determined to be relevant to the underlying brain rhythms of interest, and the stimulation timed to coincide with specific phases of the hand/arm movement.

The primary aim is to investigate whether beta-tACS improves upper limb movement in stroke survivors.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (beta-tACS)

The study intervention is transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). The electrode montage will include one electrode positioned on the scalp over the left or right motor cortex (either C3 or C4 using the international 10-20 EEG system), depending on the location of the stroke, and a second electrode over posterior area (Pz). A low intensity of stimulation (max. 4 mA peak to peak amplitude) will be used for up to 30 minutes in total (delivered in short bouts of up to 5 seconds based on the timing of movement of the upper limb).

OTHER

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (sham)

The comparator is sham stimulation. Stimulation is delivered for a very short duration or timed in such a way relative to movement to mimic the scalp sensations of the active stimulation without delivering stimulation that would be anticipated to impact relevant brain activity rhythms.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Oxford

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Charlotte J Stagg, PhD · University of Oxford

  • Catharina Zich, PhD · University of Oxford

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-02-01
Primary Completion
2027-02-28
Completion
2027-02-28

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06842095 on ClinicalTrials.gov