NCT03903068

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Treating Post-stroke Depression

The Efficacy of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation for Treating Post-stroke Depression: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common complications after stroke, with a high prevalence. PSD can affect prognosis and rehabilitation of stroke, increase risks of mortality and suicide, and escalate the economic burden on individuals and society. Studies have shown that transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can also be used to treat depression, insomnia and anxiety. So far, this stimulator has been approved by FDA. However, there have not been any reports on the use of tACS in the treatment of depression and PSD in China. In this trial, the efficacy and safety of the tACS will be assessed with the rigor methodology manner.

Detailed description

Patients with post-stroke depression (PSD) have more dysfunction, poorer recovery outcomes, and higher morbidity and mortality in the first year after stroke onset than those patients without stroke. Some therapeutic methods have shown to be effective for PSD, including antidepressants, non-drug interventions, and combination therapies. However, pharmacological agents not only show unwanted side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and dizziness, but also produce high risk of hemorrhagic complications and stroke. Therefore, in addition to antidepressants treating PSD, non-drug interventions have been proposed to treat PSD. Until now, there are various physical techniques, including transcranial magnetic stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial ultrasonic stimulation, etc. Previous studies have shown that transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is commonly used to relieve pain, and has also been used to treat conditions such as transient tic disorder and cluster headaches. In the brain, there are specific opioid receptors which are not independent, and they work together with the electro analgesic system. Patients treated for chronic pain had lower levels of endorphins in their cerebrospinal fluid. Theoretically, using tACS can alleviate pain was caused by electrical stimulation to activate the brain's pain system (anti-nociceptive system), led to the beta-endorphin, serotonin and norepinephrine release. Therefore, the study is expected to verify the effect of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on patients with PSD in China and preliminarily explore the variations of gamma and beta-oscillations and cognitive function for the intervention of PSD utilized by it.

Conditions

• Post-stroke Depression

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	NEXALIN ADI AC stimulator	When the patient is ready for the treatment, place an electrode on the patient's forehead and place an electrode in each of the mastoid areas behind each ear. The three electrodes are placed in this way to enhance the performance of the Nexalin ADI device. When the device is activated, there will be a weak current passing through the forehead electrode and each mastoid electrode. The current intensity of Nexalin ADI treatment defaults to 15.00 mA and the duration defaults to 40 minutes. Both are preset to default parameters and cannot be changed.
DEVICE	Pseudo-stimulator	When the patient is ready for the treatment, place an electrode on the patient's forehead and place an electrode in each of the mastoid areas behind each ear. When the device is started, no current flows through the electrodes, but the instrument's operating procedures, parameter displays, and prompts are the same as for a real instrument.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-08-15
• Primary completion: 2020-08-15
• Completion: 2020-10-30
• First posted: 2019-04-04
• Last updated: 2019-08-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study