Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment of Post-Stroke Spasticity
1 other identifier
interventional
4
1 country
1
Brief Summary
Spasticity is a common complication of stroke affecting quality of life. Spasticity involves exaggerated stretch reflexes that create stiffness in muscles with associated loss of motion and functional control. Traditional treatments involve range of motion, medications, and sometimes surgery. Each of these has its own limitations, which has invited exploration of alternative modes of treatment. One such treatment with the potential to benefit spasticity is repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS). The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients with upper limb spasticity as a consequence of a chronic stroke can benefit from stimulation of the non-affected hemisphere of the brain with low-frequency (inhibitory) repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), potentially leading to a reduction of spasticity and clinical improvement in upper limb function.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for not_applicable
Started Dec 2014
Typical duration for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
September 9, 2014
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
October 20, 2014
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
December 1, 2014
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
October 1, 2016
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 1, 2016
CompletedResults Posted
Study results publicly available
January 27, 2025
CompletedJanuary 27, 2025
January 1, 2025
1.8 years
September 9, 2014
April 30, 2024
January 23, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Change From Baseline Contralesional Corticospinal Excitability
Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were measured using surface EMG. The average amplitude of 10 MEPs measured at baseline was compared to the average of 10 MEPs measured at post-test and this difference is recorded as the change in corticospinal excitability. A greater negative value would indicate larger post-test MEPs and increased corticospinal excitability.
From Day 1 to Day 5
Change From Baseline Finger Tracking Score
An electrogoniometer attached to the hand was used to measure index finger movement. Patients tracked a sine wave that ranged from 85% to 15% of their individual max range of motion which does impact the accuracy measure scale. Accuracy of tracking along with the target waveform was assessed on a scale ranging from -100 to 100 (100 being perfect accuracy).
From Day 1 to Day 5
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Change in Stroke Impact Scale
From Day 1 to Day 5
Change From Baseline Resting Motor Threshold
From Day 1 to Day 5
Study Arms (2)
rTMS then Sham rTMS
ACTIVE COMPARATORrepetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
Sham rTMS then Real rTMS
SHAM COMPARATORSham repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Sham rTMS)
Interventions
The treatment arm will consist of 3 daily treatment sessions. One treatment session in this study with real rTMS will consist of 600 pulses of 1Hertz rTMS at an intensity of 90% of resting motor threshold (duration 10 minutes) applied to the primary motor area of the contralesional hemisphere.
Sham rTMS utilizes a coil that produces identical noise and tactile sensation to the real coil, but does not emit a magnetic field (0% intensity). Duration and frequency of auditory and tactile stimulation will be identical to the real intervention.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- first-time stroke
- stroke at least six months prior to onset of study with chronic sequela of spasticity
- stroke location- either cortical or subcortical
- stroke type- either hemorrhagic or ischemic
- stroke hemisphere- either left or right, dominant or non- dominant hemisphere
- years of age or older
- gender- either male or female
- ability to follow three-step directions
- demonstration of 10 degrees of active extension at the metacarpophalangeal joint and wrist of the paretic upper extremity
- demonstration of consistent resting motor evoked potential from ipsilesional and contralesional hemispheres
- sufficient ambulation or wheelchair mobility to allow subject to present to treatment and testing areas with minimum assist
You may not qualify if:
- history of seizure within the past two years
- inability to follow three-step directions
- anosognosia
- moderate to severe receptive aphasia
- inability to give informed consent
- premorbid spasticity or neurologic impairment prior to stroke
- co-morbidities impairing upper extremity function such as fracture or deformity
- indwelling metal or medical devices incompatible with TMS
- pregnancy
- bi-hemispheric or multifocal stroke
- dementia
- neurolytic injection within the 3 months prior to onset of study or planned neurolytic injection during study period
- planned vacation or travel during study period
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
University of Minnesota, Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55414, United States
Related Publications (24)
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PMID: 14991818BACKGROUNDKirton A, Chen R, Friefeld S, Gunraj C, Pontigon AM, Deveber G. Contralesional repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for chronic hemiparesis in subcortical paediatric stroke: a randomised trial. Lancet Neurol. 2008 Jun;7(6):507-13. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70096-6. Epub 2008 May 1.
PMID: 18455961BACKGROUNDGrefkes C, Nowak DA, Wang LE, Dafotakis M, Eickhoff SB, Fink GR. Modulating cortical connectivity in stroke patients by rTMS assessed with fMRI and dynamic causal modeling. Neuroimage. 2010 Mar;50(1):233-42. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.12.029. Epub 2009 Dec 18.
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PMID: 9437276BACKGROUNDCarey JR, Kimberley TJ, Lewis SM, Auerbach EJ, Dorsey L, Rundquist P, Ugurbil K. Analysis of fMRI and finger tracking training in subjects with chronic stroke. Brain. 2002 Apr;125(Pt 4):773-88. doi: 10.1093/brain/awf091.
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PMID: 17876070BACKGROUNDKakuda W, Abo M, Momosaki R, Yokoi A, Fukuda A, Ito H, Tominaga A, Umemori T, Kameda Y. Combined therapeutic application of botulinum toxin type A, low-frequency rTMS, and intensive occupational therapy for post-stroke spastic upper limb hemiparesis. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2012 Mar;48(1):47-55. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
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PMID: 21456998BACKGROUNDKakuda W, Abo M, Kobayashi K, Momosaki R, Yokoi A, Fukuda A, Ishikawa A, Ito H, Tominaga A. Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and intensive occupational therapy for poststroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis: preliminary study of a 15-day protocol. Int J Rehabil Res. 2010 Dec;33(4):339-45. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0b013e32833cdf10.
PMID: 20613547BACKGROUNDKirton A, Deveber G, Gunraj C, Chen R. Cortical excitability and interhemispheric inhibition after subcortical pediatric stroke: plastic organization and effects of rTMS. Clin Neurophysiol. 2010 Nov;121(11):1922-9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2010.04.021.
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PMID: 8120818BACKGROUNDLiepert J, Storch P, Fritsch A, Weiller C. Motor cortex disinhibition in acute stroke. Clin Neurophysiol. 2000 Apr;111(4):671-6. doi: 10.1016/s1388-2457(99)00312-0.
PMID: 10727918BACKGROUNDMally J, Dinya E. Recovery of motor disability and spasticity in post-stroke after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Brain Res Bull. 2008 Jul 1;76(4):388-95. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2007.11.019. Epub 2007 Dec 26.
PMID: 18502315BACKGROUNDMathiowetz V, Volland G, Kashman N, Weber K. Adult norms for the Box and Block Test of manual dexterity. Am J Occup Ther. 1985 Jun;39(6):386-91. doi: 10.5014/ajot.39.6.386.
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BACKGROUNDMcDonnell MN, Orekhov Y, Ziemann U. The role of GABA(B) receptors in intracortical inhibition in the human motor cortex. Exp Brain Res. 2006 Aug;173(1):86-93. doi: 10.1007/s00221-006-0365-2. Epub 2006 Feb 18.
PMID: 16489434BACKGROUNDRoger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Borden WB, Bravata DM, Dai S, Ford ES, Fox CS, Fullerton HJ, Gillespie C, Hailpern SM, Heit JA, Howard VJ, Kissela BM, Kittner SJ, Lackland DT, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth LD, Makuc DM, Marcus GM, Marelli A, Matchar DB, Moy CS, Mozaffarian D, Mussolino ME, Nichol G, Paynter NP, Soliman EZ, Sorlie PD, Sotoodehnia N, Turan TN, Virani SS, Wong ND, Woo D, Turner MB; American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics--2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2012 Jan 3;125(1):e2-e220. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0b013e31823ac046. Epub 2011 Dec 15. No abstract available.
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PMID: 21164121BACKGROUNDBraddom, Randall L., Ralph M. Buschbacher. Ch 30 Spasticity Management. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Saunders Elsevier 2007; 641-55.
BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Results Point of Contact
- Title
- Kate Frost
- Organization
- University of Minnesota
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Matthew J Timp, DO
University of Minnesota, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- STUDY CHAIR
James R Carey, PhD, PT
University of Minnesota, Program in Physical Therapy
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Florence S John, MD, MPH
University of Minnesota, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Kate Frost, MS
University of Minnesota, Program in Physical Therapy
Publication Agreements
- PI is Sponsor Employee
- Yes
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- TRIPLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- CROSSOVER
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
September 9, 2014
First Posted
October 20, 2014
Study Start
December 1, 2014
Primary Completion
October 1, 2016
Study Completion
December 1, 2016
Last Updated
January 27, 2025
Results First Posted
January 27, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-01