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Transcranial Direct Current StimulationNCT02408237

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Apparatus for Domiciliary Use

A study testing Active tDCS Ambulatory and Active tDCS Home use in people with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Healthy Participants, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Neuromodulation is characterized as a technique whose principle neurostimulation to produce inhibition or cortical arousal. The tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) is a noninvasive brain stimulation method used to modulate cortical excitability using low intensity direct current (1-2mA) directed to the… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Active tDCS Ambulatory and Active tDCS Home use
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
15 participants
Where
1 siteBrazil
Study dates
28 Mar 2017to 17 Oct 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 40 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Men and women, aged between 18 and 40 years.
  • Higher education (college graduates in progress or completed).

Who cannot join

  • Subject left-handed.
  • History of neurological disease.
  • History of endocrine disease.
  • History of psychiatric disorder.
  • History of sleep disorders (apnea, hypersomnia, insomnia, sleepwalking ...).
  • Chronic pain.
Show all 14Show fewer
  • Chronic inflammatory and oncological diseases.
  • Systemic arterial hypertension; ischemic heart disease.
  • Kidney and liver failure.
  • Regular use of steroids and non-steroids anti inflammatory, opioids and non-opioids, psychotropics, anticonvulsants, alpha and beta-blockers.
  • Regular use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
  • History of brain surgery, tumor, stroke or intracranial implantation of metal (or not implemented).
  • Subjects who do not understand Portuguese.
  • Body mass index greater than 29.9.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Brazil1 site
  • Fabiana Carvalho

    Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-903

Other trials in Brazil

About this study

Official title: Development of Apparatus of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Domiciliary Use

Neuromodulation is characterized as a technique whose principle neurostimulation to produce inhibition or cortical arousal. The tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) is a noninvasive brain stimulation method used to modulate cortical excitability using low intensity direct current (1-2mA) directed to the scalp via cathodes and anodes electrodes; the current reaches the cortex, producing hyperpolarization or depolarization of the axonal membrane potential. Evidence has shown that this method is presented as a technique that can alter cortical and subcortical neural networks. This technique has been used to treat psychiatric disorders such as depression, acute mania, bipolar affective disorder panic, hallucinations, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, withdrawal, rehabilitation after-stroke and pain syndromes such as neuropathic pain, migraine, pancreatitis chronic pain and fibromyalgia. It is low-cost technique, with virtually no side effects and carries the therapeutic effect by neuromodulatory pathways by distinct pathways activated by the drugs. In this scenario falls within the importance of developing devices for home use, inexpensive, and easy to use so as to maintain the benefits observed in previous studies. The tDCS is presented as a non-pharmacological option that may be offered in this context in society. It is noteworthy that, if the benefit is demonstrated, the impact will be of great importance to patients and to society, since these are focal techniques and low cost. Because they have no focal adverse effects of conventional drug treatments. Additionally, can be constituted as technical additive to pharmacotherapy in so much pain as in the treatment of other neuropsychiatric disorders. Therefore, further studies should be encouraged to increase knowledge of their effects and mechanisms involved. If the effectiveness of this method for home use is confirmed, the therapeutic impact will undoubtedly be of great importance. However, to make this project come true, the investigators depend on support for the development and validation of tDCS device for home use, so allowing the qualified knowledge can be applied to the clinical setting, as well as advance the development of this area of neuroscience in Brazil. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop tDCS device for home use.

Being tested
Active tDCS Ambulatory, Sham tDCS Ambulatory, Active tDCS Home use, Sham tDCS Home use
Keywords
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), tDCS for domiciliary use, Healthy Participants

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Active tDCS AmbulatoryDevice

    Also called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

    Procedure begins with the placement of an anode electrode placed on the primary motor cortex (cortex contralateral to the dominant) and the cathode is placed on the contralateral supraorbital region. It is used 1mA direct current transcranial stimulation applied for 20 minutes. Will be held a single session of stimulation. The total time, with initial assessment, tDCS session and final evaluation will be approximately 4 hours.

  • Sham tDCS AmbulatoryDevice

    Also called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

    In sham group, we follow the same procedure and time as the active tDCS ambulatory protocol, but the device will be in the mode sham (inactive). The current is only applied for 30 seconds, so subjects feel a sense of the initial stimulation, but not the remainder receive current. In this group one session will also be held. The total time, with initial assessment, tDCS session and final evaluation will be approximately 4 hours.

  • Active tDCS Home useDevice

    Also called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

    The procedure and stimulation time is exactly the same that Active tDCS - ambulatory use, but will use the apparatus for domestic use. Will be explained to the participant as placement of the cap and the device management. This group will be made 11 sessions of tDCS, the first held in the Hospital, with supervision of the researcher. The remaining 10 will be held in the participant's home. The total time of the first meeting, with initial assessment, tDCS session and final evaluation will be around 4 hours. The time of last evaluation is approximately 1 hour.

  • Sham tDCS Home useDevice

    Also called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

    The procedure and stimulation time is exactly the same that Active tDCS - ambulatory use, but will use the apparatus for domestic use. In sham group, we follow the same procedure and time as the active tDCS protocol, but the device will be in the sham mode (inactive). The total time of the first meeting, with initial assessment, tDCS session and final evaluation will be around 4 hours. The time of last evaluation is approximately 1 hour.

Study groups in NCT02408237
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
tDCS Ambulatory & ShamActive comparatorActive tDCS Ambulatory: 1 mA of current of active tDCS applied for 20 minutes, single session of stimulation. Sham tDCS Ambulatory: applied for 20 minutes, single session of stimulation.
Receives: Device: Active tDCS Ambulatory; Device: Sham tDCS Ambulatory
tDCS home use & ShamActive comparatorActive tDCS home use: 11 active tDCS sessions: single session in the hospital and the remaining 10 in the subject's home, with duration of each active tDCS session of 20 min. Sham tDCS home use: 11 sessions of tDCS: single session in the hospital and the remaining 10 in the subject's home, with duration of each sham tDCS session of 20 min.
Receives: Device: Active tDCS Home use; Device: Sham tDCS Home use

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Cortical excitability on the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

    Evaluation of the variation in cortical excitability parameters pre and post application of tDCS: Motor evoked potential (MEP); Motor threshold (MT); intracortical facilitation, intracortical inhibition, silent period (SP).

    Measured: 2 days

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Serum levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)

    Measurement of serum levels of BDNF pre and post application of tDCS.

    Measured: 2 days

  2. Pressure pain threshold

    Measurement of pressure pain threshold pre and post application of tDCS.

    Measured: 2 days

  3. Heat pain threshold

    Measurement of heat pain threshold pre and post application of tDCS, with quantitative sensory test (QST).

    Measured: 2 days

  4. Conditional pain modulation (CPM)

    Assessment of conditional pain modulation pre and post application of tDCS, with cold and hot threshold.

    Measured: 2 days

  5. Number of participants with adverse events after use tDCS

    Assessment of adverse events after use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Apparatus for Domiciliary Use.

    Measured: 10 days

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Apr 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study start28 Mar 2017
  3. Primary completion31 Aug 2017
  4. Study completion17 Oct 2017

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Device feasibility
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
15 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02408237
Sponsor's protocol ID
14-0281
Status last verified
Mar 2017
First submitted
25 Feb 2015
Last updated
26 Dec 2017
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Stagg CJ, Nitsche MA. Physiological basis of transcranial direct current stimulation. Neuroscientist. 2011 Feb;17(1):37-53. doi: 10.1177/1073858410386614.

    PubMed 21343407
  • Nitsche MA, Paulus W. Sustained excitability elevations induced by transcranial DC motor cortex stimulation in humans. Neurology. 2001 Nov 27;57(10):1899-901. doi: 10.1212/wnl.57.10.1899.

    PubMed 11723286
  • Nitsche MA, Fricke K, Henschke U, Schlitterlau A, Liebetanz D, Lang N, Henning S, Tergau F, Paulus W. Pharmacological modulation of cortical excitability shifts induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in humans. J Physiol. 2003 Nov 15;553(Pt 1):293-301. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.049916. Epub 2003 Aug 29.

    PubMed 12949224
  • Martin DM, Alonzo A, Ho KA, Player M, Mitchell PB, Sachdev P, Loo CK. Continuation transcranial direct current stimulation for the prevention of relapse in major depression. J Affect Disord. 2013 Jan 25;144(3):274-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.012. Epub 2012 Nov 10.

    PubMed 23146197
  • Valiengo L, Bensenor IM, Goulart AC, de Oliveira JF, Zanao TA, Boggio PS, Lotufo PA, Fregni F, Brunoni AR. The sertraline versus electrical current therapy for treating depression clinical study (select-TDCS): results of the crossover and follow-up phases. Depress Anxiety. 2013 Jul;30(7):646-53. doi: 10.1002/da.22079. Epub 2013 Apr 26.

    PubMed 23625554
  • DaSilva AF, Volz MS, Bikson M, Fregni F. Electrode positioning and montage in transcranial direct current stimulation. J Vis Exp. 2011 May 23;(51):2744. doi: 10.3791/2744.

    PubMed 21654618
  • Iyer MB, Mattu U, Grafman J, Lomarev M, Sato S, Wassermann EM. Safety and cognitive effect of frontal DC brain polarization in healthy individuals. Neurology. 2005 Mar 8;64(5):872-5. doi: 10.1212/01.WNL.0000152986.07469.E9.

    PubMed 15753425
  • Nitsche MA, Cohen LG, Wassermann EM, Priori A, Lang N, Antal A, Paulus W, Hummel F, Boggio PS, Fregni F, Pascual-Leone A. Transcranial direct current stimulation: State of the art 2008. Brain Stimul. 2008 Jul;1(3):206-23. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2008.06.004. Epub 2008 Jul 1.

    PubMed 20633386
  • Priori A. Brain polarization in humans: a reappraisal of an old tool for prolonged non-invasive modulation of brain excitability. Clin Neurophysiol. 2003 Apr;114(4):589-95. doi: 10.1016/s1388-2457(02)00437-6.

    PubMed 12686266
  • Nitsche MA, Paulus W. Excitability changes induced in the human motor cortex by weak transcranial direct current stimulation. J Physiol. 2000 Sep 15;527 Pt 3(Pt 3):633-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7793.2000.t01-1-00633.x.

    PubMed 10990547
  • Lang N, Siebner HR, Ward NS, Lee L, Nitsche MA, Paulus W, Rothwell JC, Lemon RN, Frackowiak RS. How does transcranial DC stimulation of the primary motor cortex alter regional neuronal activity in the human brain? Eur J Neurosci. 2005 Jul;22(2):495-504. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04233.x.

    PubMed 16045502
  • Medeiros LF, de Souza IC, Vidor LP, de Souza A, Deitos A, Volz MS, Fregni F, Caumo W, Torres IL. Neurobiological effects of transcranial direct current stimulation: a review. Front Psychiatry. 2012 Dec 28;3:110. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00110. eCollection 2012.

    PubMed 23293607
  • Garcia-Larrea L, Peyron R, Mertens P, Gregoire MC, Lavenne F, Le Bars D, Convers P, Mauguiere F, Sindou M, Laurent B. Electrical stimulation of motor cortex for pain control: a combined PET-scan and electrophysiological study. Pain. 1999 Nov;83(2):259-73. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3959(99)00114-1.

    PubMed 10534598
  • Fregni F, Boggio PS, Lima MC, Ferreira MJ, Wagner T, Rigonatti SP, Castro AW, Souza DR, Riberto M, Freedman SD, Nitsche MA, Pascual-Leone A. A sham-controlled, phase II trial of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of central pain in traumatic spinal cord injury. Pain. 2006 May;122(1-2):197-209. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.02.023. Epub 2006 Mar 27.

    PubMed 16564618
  • Fregni F, Gimenes R, Valle AC, Ferreira MJ, Rocha RR, Natalle L, Bravo R, Rigonatti SP, Freedman SD, Nitsche MA, Pascual-Leone A, Boggio PS. A randomized, sham-controlled, proof of principle study of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of pain in fibromyalgia. Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Dec;54(12):3988-98. doi: 10.1002/art.22195.

    PubMed 17133529

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Active tDCS Ambulatory and Active tDCS Home use in people with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Healthy Participants, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 14 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Dec 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Brazil. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Cortical excitability on the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) (time frame: 2 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02408237, which also lists 23 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Dec 2017.

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