Non-invasive Repetitive Paraorbital Alternating Current Stimulation Therapy for Aphasia

NCT ID: NCT01277575

Last Updated: 2013-12-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

30 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2010-12-31

Study Completion Date

2013-12-31

Brief Summary

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The investigators assess if repetitive, transcranial alternating current stimulation (rtACS) can improve the speaking quality of the aphasic patient as well as other communication skills as naming, repeating and understanding spoken words, reading and writing. Further, it will be assessed if memory and attentiveness deficiencies after 10 days of therapy with brain stimulation are stabilized and remain stable after a training-free period of 60 days.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Aphasia

Keywords

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stroke aphasia language

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Verum stimulation

repetitive transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

rtACS stimulation (Verum condition)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Repetitive, transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) is applied with multi-channel device generating weak current pulses in predetermined firing bursts of 2 to 9 pulses. The amplitude of each current pulse is below 1000 microA. Current intensity is individually adjusted according to how well patients perceived phosphenes, i.e. any sensation of flickering light in response to the rtACS stimulation

Placebo stimulation

Sham stimulation (placebo condition) no intervention

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

placebo condition

Intervention Type DEVICE

A clicking sound is presented and the same electrode montage set-up is used during rtASC- and Placebo-stimulation, except that placebo patients received no current (stimulator turned off).

Interventions

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rtACS stimulation (Verum condition)

Repetitive, transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) is applied with multi-channel device generating weak current pulses in predetermined firing bursts of 2 to 9 pulses. The amplitude of each current pulse is below 1000 microA. Current intensity is individually adjusted according to how well patients perceived phosphenes, i.e. any sensation of flickering light in response to the rtACS stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

placebo condition

A clicking sound is presented and the same electrode montage set-up is used during rtASC- and Placebo-stimulation, except that placebo patients received no current (stimulator turned off).

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* stroke
* lesion age at least 6 months
* aphasia with at least moderate severity according to Aachener Aphasia Test (AAT)
* age between 40 and 75
* German-speaking (at a native speaking level)

Exclusion Criteria

* cognitive or speech-language therapy during the 2-weeks stimulation course
* intensive language training when exceeding 1 hour, 2 times a week during the 2-weeks stimulation course and the follow-up period (60 days after stimulation was completed)
* additional neurological diseases, e.g. surgical brain tumor removal, untreated tumor disease, acute traumatic brain injury, and/or craniotomy
* (severe) dysarthria
* untreated hypertension exceeding 160/100 mmHg (patients with treated hypertension and blood pressure below 160/100 mmHg can be included)
* increased risk of vascular thrombosis
* epilepsy, photo sensitivity, acute focal findings (patients without focal findings or epileptiform discharges can be included when they had only a single seizure more than 10 years ago)
* dementias and neurodegenerative diseases
* significant psychiatric disturbances, e.g. schizophrenia
* major attention and/or memory deficits
* major hearing loss
* patients with uncorrected visual deficits
* severe global aphasia
* modality-specific disorders (pure speech apraxia, pure alexia, pure agraphia)
* electric or electronic implants (e.g. heart pacemakers)
* metal artefacts located at the head
* medication with impact on the central nervous system (e.g. antidepressant or sedative drugs)
* participation in another trial
* pregnant or breastfeeding women
Minimum Eligible Age

40 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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EBS Technologies GmbH

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Magdeburg

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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EBS Technologies GmbH

Principal Investigators

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Bernhard A Sabel, Prof. Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Magdeburg

Locations

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Neurologische Klinik, Medizinische Fakultät der RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30

Aachen, , Germany

Site Status

Neurologische Klinik, Brandenburg Klinik Bernau, Brandenburgallee 1

Bernau Waldsiedlung, , Germany

Site Status

Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Leipziger Str. 44

Magdeburg, , Germany

Site Status

Countries

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Germany

Other Identifiers

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EBS-PP-2010-08-25-001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id