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Primary Progressive AphasiaNCT03805659

HDtDCS in Logopenic Variant PPA: Effects on Language and Neural Mechanisms

A study testing HD-tDCS in people with Primary Progressive Aphasia, run by Medical College of Wisconsin at 1 site in United States.

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

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapy called High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) for the treatment of the language deficits experienced by people with a type of Primary Progressive Aphasia. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 45 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Primary Progressive Aphasia
What is being tested?
HD-tDCS
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
6 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
24 Feb 2020to 18 May 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

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 45 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosed with language variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (lvPPA) subtype, defined as either clinical lvPPA or imaging-supported lvPPA in accordance with the most recent diagnostic criteria (Mesulam., 2001; Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011).
  • Fluent in English.
  • 45 years of age or older.
  • Structural brain MRI performed within 3 years prior to enrollment.

Who cannot join

  • Severe cognitive, auditory or visual impairments that would preclude cognitive testing.
  • Presence of major untreated or unstable psychiatric disease.
  • A chronic medical condition that is not treated or is unstable.
  • The presence of cardiac stimulators or pacemakers.
  • Any metal implants in the skull
  • Contraindications to MRI
  • History of seizures
  • History of dyslexia or other developmental learning disabilities.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • The Medical College of Wisconsin

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) in Logopenic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (lvPPA): Effects on Language and Neural Mechanisms

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapy called High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) for the treatment of the language deficits experienced by people with a type of Primary Progressive Aphasia. This study uses a combination of brain imaging, language assessment, language training sessions, and HD-tDCS therapy as well as placebo therapy sessions.

Read the detailed description

The logopenic variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (lvPPA) is an untreatable neurodegenerative disorder that is often referred to as the 'language form' of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a safe and potentially effective tool that appears to enhance language production when delivered during language training. This technology provides a critical opportunity to conduct disease intervention.

In this study, the investigators will test the hypothesis that High-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) will improve performance on language tasks by increasing functional connectivity and by regulating abnormal neuronal oscillatory patterns. The rationale for this project is that a determination of the therapeutic efficacy and the associated neural mechanisms of HD-tDCS in lvPPA is likely to offer a scientific framework whereby new stimulation parameters, conditions, and target sites can be deciphered.

This study will test the hypothesis that HD-tDCS will improve performance on language tasks by increasing functional connectivity and by regulating abnormal neuronal oscillatory patterns. The language performance and functional connectivity changes will be determined in a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled crossover manner, in which a stimulation of up to 2mA in the targeted cortical tissue or sham is administered to 20 lvPPA subjects age 45 years and older. The order of treatments is counterbalanced in a within-subject crossover design. In brief, study participants will receive sham during one treatment period and stimulation during the other treatment period.

Being tested
HD-tDCS, Sham
Keywords
Adult, Primary Progressive Aphasia, High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, HD-tDCS, Language, Logopenic, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, Magnetoencephalography, MEG, Brain, Aphasia
Medical subject headings
Aphasia, Primary Progressive, Language, Aphasia

What participants receive

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

  • HD-tDCSDevice

    Also called Soterix MXN-9 High-Definition stimulator

    High-Dose transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

  • ShamDevice

    Sham sessions (no electric current)

Study groups in NCT03805659
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
HD-tDCS, then ShamExperimentalSubjects receive High Dose transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) lasting 20 minutes at an electric current intensity of up to 2mA in the left posterior temporo-parietal cortex (TPC). Stimulation sessions are delivered once a day (QD) for a total of 10 sessions over 2 weeks (Monday-Friday). After a washout period of 16 weeks, subjects receive Sham sessions (no electric current) once a day (QD) for a total of 10 sessions over 2 weeks (Monday-Friday).
Receives: Device: HD-tDCS; Device: Sham
Sham, then HD-tDCSExperimentalSubjects receive Sham sessions (no electric current) once a day (QD) for a total of 10 sessions over 2 weeks (Monday-Friday). After a washout period of 16 weeks, subjects receive High Dose transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) lasting 20 minutes at an electric current intensity of up to 2mA in the left posterior temporo-parietal cortex (TPC). Stimulation sessions are delivered once a day (QD) for a total of 10 sessions over 2 weeks (Monday-Friday).
Receives: Device: HD-tDCS; Device: Sham

What is being measured

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

  1. Determine Changes in Language Performance After Stimulation Sessions

    Language performance as assessed at baseline and post-stimulation procedure

    Measured: Language performance was assessed before and after 2-week intervention and during washout periods

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Determine the Resting State Language Network-level Changes in Left TPC Functional Connectivity.

    Language network resting state changes after stimulation procedure

    Measured: Language network resting state changes were assessed before and after 2-week intervention and during washout periods

  2. Determine the Neuronal Frequency Distribution and Connectivity Measures Associated With the Left TPC as Assessed by MEG.

    Resting-state neuronal frequencies and synchronizations changes after stimulation procedure

    Measured: Resting-state neuronal frequencies and synchronizations changes were assessed before and after 2-week intervention and during washout periods

Timeline

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

  1. First posted16 Jan 2019
  2. Study start24 Feb 2020
  3. Primary completion18 May 2022
  4. Study completion18 May 2022

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
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
This is a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial in which stimulation or sham will be administered to 20 subjects over the age of 45 years, with the order of treatments counterbalanced in a within-subject crossover design. Stimulation and sham sessions last 20 minutes and occur for 10 days over a 2-week period.
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
6 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03805659
Sponsor's protocol ID
PRO00032037
Status last verified
May 2024
First submitted
27 Dec 2018
Last updated
11 Jun 2024
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Tippett DC, Hillis AE, Tsapkini K. Treatment of Primary Progressive Aphasia. Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2015 Aug;17(8):362. doi: 10.1007/s11940-015-0362-5.

    PubMed 26062526
  • Rogalski E, Cobia D, Harrison TM, Wieneke C, Weintraub S, Mesulam MM. Progression of language decline and cortical atrophy in subtypes of primary progressive aphasia. Neurology. 2011 May 24;76(21):1804-10. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31821ccd3c.

    PubMed 21606451
  • Abel S, Weiller C, Huber W, Willmes K, Specht K. Therapy-induced brain reorganization patterns in aphasia. Brain. 2015 Apr;138(Pt 4):1097-112. doi: 10.1093/brain/awv022. Epub 2015 Feb 15.

    PubMed 25688082
  • Villamar MF, Volz MS, Bikson M, Datta A, Dasilva AF, Fregni F. Technique and considerations in the use of 4x1 ring high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS). J Vis Exp. 2013 Jul 14;(77):e50309. doi: 10.3791/50309.

    PubMed 23893039
  • Meyer AM, Snider SF, Campbell RE, Friedman RB. Phonological short-term memory in logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia and mild Alzheimer's disease. Cortex. 2015 Oct;71:183-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.07.003. Epub 2015 Jul 16.

    PubMed 26232551
  • Pillay SB, Stengel BC, Humphries C, Book DS, Binder JR. Cerebral localization of impaired phonological retrieval during rhyme judgment. Ann Neurol. 2014 Nov;76(5):738-46. doi: 10.1002/ana.24266. Epub 2014 Sep 19.

    PubMed 25164766
  • Gorno-Tempini ML, Brambati SM, Ginex V, Ogar J, Dronkers NF, Marcone A, Perani D, Garibotto V, Cappa SF, Miller BL. The logopenic/phonological variant of primary progressive aphasia. Neurology. 2008 Oct 14;71(16):1227-34. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000320506.79811.da. Epub 2008 Jul 16.

    PubMed 18633132
  • Dancause N, Barbay S, Frost SB, Plautz EJ, Chen D, Zoubina EV, Stowe AM, Nudo RJ. Extensive cortical rewiring after brain injury. J Neurosci. 2005 Nov 2;25(44):10167-79. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3256-05.2005.

    PubMed 16267224
  • Sonty SP, Mesulam MM, Weintraub S, Johnson NA, Parrish TB, Gitelman DR. Altered effective connectivity within the language network in primary progressive aphasia. J Neurosci. 2007 Feb 7;27(6):1334-45. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4127-06.2007.

    PubMed 17287508
  • Datta A, Bansal V, Diaz J, Patel J, Reato D, Bikson M. Gyri-precise head model of transcranial direct current stimulation: improved spatial focality using a ring electrode versus conventional rectangular pad. Brain Stimul. 2009 Oct;2(4):201-7, 207.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2009.03.005.

    PubMed 20648973
  • Datta A, Truong D, Minhas P, Parra LC, Bikson M. Inter-Individual Variation during Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Normalization of Dose Using MRI-Derived Computational Models. Front Psychiatry. 2012 Oct 22;3:91. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00091. eCollection 2012.

    PubMed 23097644
  • Muthalib M, Besson P, Rothwell J, Perrey S. Focal Hemodynamic Responses in the Stimulated Hemisphere During High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. Neuromodulation. 2018 Jun;21(4):348-354. doi: 10.1111/ner.12632. Epub 2017 Jul 17.

    PubMed 28714545
  • Edwards D, Cortes M, Datta A, Minhas P, Wassermann EM, Bikson M. Physiological and modeling evidence for focal transcranial electrical brain stimulation in humans: a basis for high-definition tDCS. Neuroimage. 2013 Jul 1;74:266-75. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.01.042. Epub 2013 Jan 28.

    PubMed 23370061
  • Richardson J, Datta A, Dmochowski J, Parra LC, Fridriksson J. Feasibility of using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to enhance treatment outcomes in persons with aphasia. NeuroRehabilitation. 2015;36(1):115-26. doi: 10.3233/NRE-141199.

    PubMed 25547776
  • Kuo HI, Bikson M, Datta A, Minhas P, Paulus W, Kuo MF, Nitsche MA. Comparing cortical plasticity induced by conventional and high-definition 4 x 1 ring tDCS: a neurophysiological study. Brain Stimul. 2013 Jul;6(4):644-8. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2012.09.010. Epub 2012 Oct 13.

    PubMed 23149292

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing HD-tDCS in people with Primary Progressive Aphasia, run by Medical College of Wisconsin at 1 site in United States.

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 4 inclusion and 8 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 11 Jun 2024. 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 United States. 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?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 11 Jun 2024). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

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?

Determine Changes in Language Performance After Stimulation Sessions (time frame: Language performance was assessed before and after 2-week intervention and during washout periods). 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 NCT03805659, which also lists 17 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 11 Jun 2024; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 29 Oct 2026.

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