Superiority Trial of Aphasia-focused Rehabilitation With tDCS Stimulation
Start Date
7/14/2026
Completion Date
6/1/2030
Summary
The purpose of this study is to help us understand if adding transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, to Speech Therapy improves language recovery in people with Broca's aphasia and is more effective than Speech Therapy alone.
Detailed Description
This project is a prospective randomized controlled double-blinded clinical trial to compare auditory-visual speech therapy coupled with adjuvant active anodal tDCS (A-tDCS) versus speech therapy coupled with sham tDCS (S-tDCS). The investigators will perform an adaptive Phase II/III design, in which the first portion of the study (Phase II) will determine the optimal dose of A-tDCS (1 mA versus 2 mA) and provide a go/no-go decision for Phase III. The investigators will use a 10-10 system to determine electrode placement, with 5 x 5 cm pads, and stimulation duration will be 20 minutes. Phase III will test the definitive superiority of adjuvant A-tDCS at the optimal dose coupled with speech therapy versus speech therapy alone (S-tDCS) to improve naming among individuals with chronic Broca's aphasia.
Eligibility Criteria
Age Range: 25 years to 80 years
Interventions
tDCS
Conditions
Locations
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina 29425
United States
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
United States
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
United States