Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Enhance Structured Language Therapy after Stroke
Aphasia, or impairment of language, is one of the most devastating problems after left hemisphere stroke, because it can interfere with an individual’s social interactions, ability to return to work, and even simple daily activities, such as returning email or answering the phone. Speech and language treatment can be helpful in restoring language function, but recovery is often incomplete. Recent studies indicate that the effectiveness of language treatment can be augmented by concurrent Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive, non-painful, electrical stimulation of the brain. It is believed that tDCS boosts neural plasticity that underlies recovery with language treatment. The optimum time to apply tDCS with language treatment is unknown.
In this study we are comparing the effects of A-tDCS plus language treatment to sham plus language treatment delivered by computer over 15 sessions in “acute” (<3 months) and “subacute” (6-8 months) periods after left hemisphere ischemic stroke, and comparing these effects to those reported with the same interventions in chronic stroke.
We are studying these questions in a double-blind, sham-controlled, cross-over trial, with randomized order of treatment conditions. Everyone will have both tDCS and sham periods, along with language treatment. Participants who receive either A-tDCS or sham first in the acute period will be permitted to re-enroll at 6 months, and will have the opposite order of treatments. Neither the participant with aphasia nor the investigator will know which period are the periods with A-tDCS until the end of the 6 month study.
Aphasia, or impairment of language, is one of the most devastating problems after left hemisphere stroke, because it can interfere with an individual’s social interactions, ability to return to work, and even simple daily activities, such as returning email or answering the phone. Speech and language treatment can be helpful in restoring language function, but recovery is often incomplete. Recent studies indicate that the effectiveness of language treatment can be augmented by concurrent Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive, non-painful, electrical stimulation of the brain. It is believed that tDCS boosts neural plasticity that underlies recovery with language treatment. The optimum time to apply tDCS with language treatment is unknown.
In this study we are comparing the effects of A-tDCS plus language treatment to sham plus language treatment delivered by computer over 15 sessions in “acute” (<3 months) and “subacute” (6-8 months) periods after left hemisphere ischemic stroke, and comparing these effects to those reported with the same interventions in chronic stroke.
We are studying these questions in a double-blind, sham-controlled, cross-over trial, with randomized order of treatment conditions. Everyone will have both tDCS and sham periods, along with language treatment. Participants who receive either A-tDCS or sham first in the acute period will be permitted to re-enroll at 6 months, and will have the opposite order of treatments. Neither the participant with aphasia nor the investigator will know which period are the periods with A-tDCS until the end of the 6 month study.