Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Post-Stroke Aphasia

ID#: NCT05194566

Age: 18 - 80 years

Gender: All

Healthy Subjects: No

Study Phase: N/A

Recruitment Status: Recruiting

Start Date: August 01, 2023

End Date: May 01, 2024

Contact Information:
Courtney McSweeney
(929) 237-3930
Aidan Rogers
(718) 308-9450
Summary: The aim of the trial is to determine whether 75Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) synchronized with therapeutic linguistic tasks is an effective form of therapy for post-stroke aphasia.
Eligibility: Individuals with aphasia (assessed using the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination) who perform the Naming Task in the range of 10%-60% accuracy will be included in the study. The overall baseline score in the Naming Task will be estimated from the two baseline measurements.

Inclusion Criteria:

- diagnosis of aphasia: Broca's or mixed (based on the assessment of a Speech Language Pathologist).

- presence of a focus of injury in the left hemisphere (within one hemisphere only) as a result of the first ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke (based on CT/MRI examination);

- chronic stage of the disease

- time since the stroke occurred over 6 months.

- ability to achieve an accuracy in the Naming Task of 10-60%.

- 18-80 years

- right-handedness before the stroke.

- ability to give informed written consent.

- fluency in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

- severe cognitive, auditory or visual impairment that would preclude cognitive and language testing

- inability to follow a two-step command.

- presence of metal implants in the skull.

- presence of major untreated or unstable psychiatric disease.

- history of epilepsy or seizures.

- ongoing medication that increases the risk of epileptic seizures.

- presence in the body of cardiac stimulators or pacemaker.

- history of speech, language, hearing, or intellectual disability during childhood.

- pregnancy (based on declarations) Exclusion criteria during the trial:

- high intolerance to stimulation.

- occurrence of an epileptic seizure.

- other previously absent neurological or mental symptoms Withdrawal criteria:

- high intolerance to stimulation (participants experience severe discomfort during stimulation);

- occurrence of an epileptic seizure;

- other previously absent neurological, physical or mental symptoms.