NCT06191549

Brain Stimulation Enhance Post-stroke Walking Survivors and Healthy Adults

Effect of Brain Stimulation on Locomotor Skill Acquisition in Stroke

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Sponsor: The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Recent studies showed that a non-invasive, low-intensity brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can effectively increase motor neuron excitability in the brain and therefore promotes functional recovery after stroke. Thus, the overall purpose of this research project is to examine the effect of brain stimulation on motor skill learning in stroke survivors.

Detailed description

The specific aims and hypotheses are: Aim 1: To explore the trends of locomotor skill acquisition in stroke survivors after anodal tDCS (a-tDCS, real brain stimulation), stroke survivors after sham tDCS (s-tDCS), and stroke with no brain stimulation (control; CON). Hypothesis (Aim 1): Stroke participants who receives a-tDCS will show a faster rate of learning a locomotor task compared to stroke participants who receive s-tDCS and stroke participants with no brain stimulation. Aim 2: To explore different trends of stimulation-induced improvements in learning capacity and neural activities between three groups: stroke group, healthy young group, and healthy older group. Hypothesis (Aim 2): Healthy young adults will have a greater degree of stimulation-induced improvements in learning capacity and neural excitation compared to older adults and stroke participants. Aim 3: To explore the trends of functional improvements post a-tDCS in stroke survivors. Hypothesis (Aim 3): Stroke participants who receives a-tDCS will show a greater improvements in functional performances compared to stroke participants who receive s-tDCS and stroke participants with no brain stimulation. Aim 4: To explore the accumulated, longitudinal trends of a four-week visuomotor stepping training in conjunction with brain stimulation on treadmill walking training and gait improvements for persons with chronic stroke. Hypothesis (Aim 4): Stroke participants who receives a-tDCS will show a greater degree of gait improvements compared to stroke participants who receive s-tDCS and stroke participants with no brain stimulation.

Conditions

• Cerebral Vascular Accident

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
COMBINATION_PRODUCT	anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS)	Stroke participants will be randomly assigned into one of three groups: anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS), sham tDCS (s-tDCS), or control groups (i.e. no brain stimulation). Young and older healthy adults will be randomly assignments into a-tDCS or s-tDCS groups. Stroke participants in each group will receive a four-week of the assigned brain stimulation combined with visuomotor stepping training and treadmill training

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-01
• Primary completion: 2026-08-31
• Completion: 2026-08-31
• First posted: 2024-01-05
• Last updated: 2025-10-31

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States