Clinical Trial: tDCS as an Adjuvant to Intensive Speech Therapy for Chronic Post Stroke Aphasia

Study Status: Enrolling by invitation
Recruit Status: Enrolling by invitation
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) an Adjuvant to Intensive Speech Therapy in Chronic Post Stroke Aphasia

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to determine if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in conjunction with intensive speech therapy will improve sentence production and word retrieval in individuals with chronic post stroke aphasia.

Detailed Summary:

Participants from the study will be clients that are enrolled at Austin Speech Labs intensive speech therapy following the enrollment protocol. A total of six participants will be enrolled, they will be randomly assigned to sham and real groups. Three of the clients will receive real and other will receive sham tDCS.

Prior to receiving tDCS or speech therapy, the participants' comprehension will be assessed using the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB). If they have a score of lower than 50%, they will be excluded from the study. If they receive a score of greater than 50%, they will be asked to provide verbal and written consent by signing the consent form.

The Principal investigator will provide the consent form to both the caregiver and the participants.If necessary, the investigator will simplify the terminology to ensure comprehension. The investigator will explain that the purpose of this research intends to gather data in order to gain scientific knowledge and will not necessarily benefit the participant.

The participants in the experimental group and control group will receive a total of three hours of therapy. All participants will receive intensive- group, and two hours of individual therapy.

Experimental Group -- Participants will receive tDCS at 1mA for 20min of the total three hours of intensive speech therapy time at the beginning of each session. Stimulation will be provided via an electrode using a Starstim device. The anodal electrode will be placed over inferior frontal gyrus area or the perilesional area, if Broca's area is damaged and the cathodal electrode will be placed over the contralateral or orbital frontal on the right hemisphere. For both the Sham and the experimental group the stimulation will be rampe
Sponsor: Austin Speech Labs

Current Primary Outcome:

  • Improvement in naming nouns as measured by Object Naming Test [ Time Frame: After eight weeks of treatment ]
    Nouns will be tested using An Object Naming Test by Dr.Judith Druks and Dr.Jackie Masterson
  • Improvement in naming Action verbs as measured by Northwestern Assessment Verbs Sentences [ Time Frame: After eight weeks of treatment ]
    naming Action Verbs will be measured using Northwestern Assessment of Verbs(NAVS)
  • Improvement in sentence production as measured by NAVS [ Time Frame: After eight weeks of treatment ]
    Sentence production will be measured using Northwestern Assessment of Verbs and Sentences(NAVS)


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Improvement in picture description as measured by Western Aphasia Battery [ Time Frame: After eight weeks of treatment ]

Western Aphasia Battery(WAB) standardized measurement will be used pre and post treatment to analyze changes in sentence structures.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Austin Speech Labs

Dates:
Date Received: February 17, 2016
Date Started: January 2016
Date Completion: October 2016
Last Updated: June 13, 2016
Last Verified: June 2016