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tDCS + Speech-Language Therapy for Aphasia (AphasiatDCS Trial)

N/A
Recruiting
Led By Jessica Richardson, Ph.D.
Research Sponsored by University of New Mexico
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Aged 25-85
Must have a diagnosis of aphasia based on impaired performance on the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised, Boston Naming Test, or during discourse production
Must not have
Comorbid neurological disease
Damage to the anterior right hemisphere
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 3 months

Summary

This trial uses a non-invasive brain stimulation technique combined with speech therapy to help stroke patients with Aphasia improve their communication skills. The brain stimulation aims to enhance the effects of language therapy by making the brain's language areas work better together. This technique has shown promise in improving language recovery in post-stroke aphasia.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for individuals aged 25-85 who are more than a year post-stroke and have aphasia, which affects their language abilities. They must show left-hemisphere brain damage and be responsive to naming tasks. People with other neurological diseases, right hemisphere damage, mood disorders, recent substance abuse, electrical implants that interfere with tDCS or MRI scans, medical instability or pregnancy cannot participate.
What is being tested?
The study tests if targeted Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can improve speech-language therapy outcomes in people with chronic aphasia after a stroke. Participants will receive either active cathodal tDCS or placebo alongside language training for 15 days to see which is more effective.
What are the potential side effects?
While the document doesn't specify side effects of tDCS in this context, common ones may include mild itching, tingling at the electrode site during stimulation, headache or fatigue afterwards. Serious side effects are rare.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I am between 25 and 85 years old.
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I have been diagnosed with aphasia.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I have a neurological condition.
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I have damage to the front right part of my brain.
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I do not have any implanted electrical devices and can undergo tDCS or MRI.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~3 months
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 3 months for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Naming Efficiency of trained items
Naming Response Time of trained items Scales - IV (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, Coalson, & Railford, 2008)
Picture Naming of trained items
Secondary study objectives
Discourse informativeness - Main Concept Production
Efficiency of discourse informativeness - Main Concept Production
Naming Efficiency of untrained items - Boston Naming Test
+2 more

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Active Control
Placebo Group
Group I: Experimental: Active cathodal tDCS + Speech-language trainingActive Control1 Intervention
In this arm, 31 patients with stroke induced Aphasia will undergo 15 sessions of active tDCS (x 30 minutes of stimulation) combined with 1 hour simultaneous speech-language training on consecutive weekdays.
Group II: Comparator: Placebo cathodal tDCS + Speech-language trainingPlacebo Group1 Intervention
In this arm, 31 patients with stroke induced Aphasia will undergo 15 sessions of sham tDCS (x 30 minutes sham) combined with 1 hour simultaneous speech-language training on consecutive weekdays..

Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.
Mechanism Of Action
Side Effect Profile
Prior Approvals
Other Research
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique that applies a low electrical current to specific brain regions, such as the right Inferior Frontal Gyrus, to modulate neuronal activity. This stimulation can enhance synaptic plasticity and improve language function, which is crucial for aphasia patients who have impaired language abilities due to brain injury. By targeting areas involved in language processing, tDCS can facilitate better communication skills and overall cognitive function, offering a promising adjunct to traditional speech-language therapy.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)NIH
354 Previous Clinical Trials
181,685 Total Patients Enrolled
28 Trials studying Stroke
2,039 Patients Enrolled for Stroke
National Institutes of Health (NIH)NIH
2,826 Previous Clinical Trials
8,169,576 Total Patients Enrolled
44 Trials studying Stroke
8,461 Patients Enrolled for Stroke
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)NIH
297 Previous Clinical Trials
248,955 Total Patients Enrolled
12 Trials studying Stroke
308 Patients Enrolled for Stroke

Media Library

Experimental: Active cathodal tDCS + Speech-language training Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT04432883 — N/A
Stroke Research Study Groups: Experimental: Active cathodal tDCS + Speech-language training, Comparator: Placebo cathodal tDCS + Speech-language training
Stroke Clinical Trial 2023: Experimental: Active cathodal tDCS + Speech-language training Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT04432883 — N/A
Experimental: Active cathodal tDCS + Speech-language training 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT04432883 — N/A
~15 spots leftby Dec 2025