Optimal Therapeutic Dose of tDCS for Functional Upper Limb Recovery in People With Stroke

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF CHILE · Apr 29, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the effects of a treatment called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on recovery of the upper limb in people who have had a stroke. Stroke can often lead to weakness or difficulty using one arm, which affects 70% of stroke patients. The trial aims to find out if a specific dosing schedule of tDCS, when combined with standard therapy, can improve arm function better than another schedule. Participants will receive either 18 thirty-minute sessions or 18 twenty-minute sessions of tDCS along with therapy to help them regain movement in their arms.

To be eligible for this study, participants must be adults aged 18 or older who have experienced a stroke within the last 7 to 90 days and have some movement in their affected arm. They should also have support from a caregiver to help them attend therapy sessions. Throughout the study, participants will be monitored for improvements in their arm function and daily activities. This research is important because it could help establish better treatment guidelines for stroke recovery, ultimately benefiting many patients.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Single event of ischemic or hemorrhagic unihemispheric stroke, cortical or subcortical.
• • Brachial hemiparesis.
• • Stroke evolution time greater than 7 days and equal to or less than 90 days.
• • Subjects attend rehabilitation at the Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile and Hospital San José.
• • Age equal to or greater than 18 years.
• • Present some level of UL motor activity: at least 20º of active wrist extension and 10º of finger extension.
• • Have a caregiver and/or support network if necessary to attend outpatient therapies, as well as to supervise activities at home.
• • Signing of informed consent by the patient.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Prior central stroke with motor sequelae.
• • Present severe aphasia with a score ≥ 2 on the language item on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale evaluation.
• • Severe cognitive impairment, with a score ≤ 15 points on the Mini-mental state examination.
• • Present shoulder subluxation and/or pain \> 4 points on the visual numerical pain scale.
• • History of epilepsy and/or use of antiepileptic drugs.
• • Metal implants or pacemakers.
• • Pregnancy.
• • Any condition that, in the opinion of the doctor, impedes the correct performance of the treatment.