Using tDCS in Speech-based Stroke Rehabilitation

ConditionApraxia of Speech

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age18-99

SponsorNYU Langone Health

About this trial

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the effect of treatment for acquired speech impairment can be enhanced by combining effective behavioral treatment with non-invasive brain stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which delivers low-intensity current to the scalp, and is a safe and well-tolerated approach that poses a non-significant risk to participants. tDCS provides low intensity neural stimulation which has been shown to facilitate motor learning in other domains of stroke rehabilitation such as arm motor learning but the potential to enhance speech motor learning has not been explored. This will be examined with a series of single-case experimental designs.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Right-handed

Monolingual (English)

Single left-hemisphere CVA

A minimum of six months post-stroke

Disqualifiers

Diagnosis of laryngeal voice disorder

Dysarthria

History of speech impairment prior to CVA

Presence of potential tDCS risk factors: damaged skin at site of stimulation;

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

Soterix 1x1 line tDCS low-intensity stimulator
Device
Introduction of the independent variable (treatment) across three different points in time. Participants will be randomly assigned to have each treatment phase begin after 3, 4, or 6 baseline sessions. This current stimulates the cortex, with anodal stimulation leading to a depolarized state in which neurons are more likely to fire.
Sham
Device
Patients will have two electrodes applied (one anode, one cathode) administering no stimulation

Treatment groups

24 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Group A: Active StimulationExperimental treatment 2 interventions

Group B: Sham StimulationSham comparator 2 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Change in accuracy in recordings from tasks from baseline to post treatment

Subjects will be given speech production tasks. Recordings of tasks will be scored for accuracy to measure speech motor learning

Time frame

Baseline, 6 Months

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

NYU Langone Health

Lead sponsor

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

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