Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Brain Organization and Naming

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Device
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) allows to induce, in a non-invasive way, a transient inhibitory or excitatory neuromodulation of a given cerebral region and to obtain a very focused cortical effect. Previous studies using HD-tDCS have shown the effectiveness of this stimulation technique for enhancing language recovery in patients with aphasia. However, language processes are not determined solely by local neural activity at a single site, but rather by the interaction between neural networks. This is because a large cortical network is involved in language processes and, therefore, the same language disorder may result from lesions at different locations in this network. The investigators hypothesize that anodal HD-tDCS will enhance neural interactions between language areas and, thereby, improve language processing and word learning. The investigators propose to carry out a study on chronic aphasic patients involving HD-tDCS of the Broca region (left inferior frontal gyrus) combined with a verb learning task.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke

• Presence of aphasia with difficulty finding words and/or naming objects/pictures

• ≥12 months post-stroke

• ≥ 18 years of age

• French-speaking

• Able to participate in 30-60 min therapeutic sessions (good concentration and understanding of the task and ability to follow instructions

Locations
Other Locations
Switzerland
Division of Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital of Geneva
RECRUITING
Geneva
Contact Information
Primary
Adrian G Guggisberg, MD
Adrian.Guggisberg@insel.ch
+41316323081
Time Frame
Start Date: 2022-10-24
Estimated Completion Date: 2026-04-01
Participants
Target number of participants: 14
Treatments
Active_comparator: HD-tDCS
high-density transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over Broca's area
Sham_comparator: sham-tDCS
sham transcranial direct current stimulation. The same setup will be used as in the HD-tDCS arm, except that the current will be ramped up for 30 seconds and then switched off. This does not lead to neural effects, but the patients have a similar sensation.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: Adrian Guggisberg

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov