Direct Measurement of Motor Cortical Responses to tDCS

NCT04759898 | Completed Results DMC

• 1 other identifier: 00073545
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown the potential to improve symptoms in patients with movement deficits, such as Parkinson's disease and chronic stroke. However, the effects of tDCS have so far not been proven on a wider scale due to lack of knowledge regarding exactly how tDCS works. This has limited the adoption of this potentially useful therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease, chronic stroke and other conditions affecting movement. The investigators hypothesize that by studying the effects of tDCS in subjects performing a motor task, the brain signals mediating improvements in motor control will be identified. The investigators will use both noninvasive and invasive methods to explore this hypothesis. The investigators expect this combined approach to broaden understanding of tDCS application in conditions affecting movement and possibly lead to therapeutic advances in these populations.

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Primary Motor Cortex Beta-Band Spectral Power During Movement Preparation With Anodal tDCS

  Primary motor cortex (PriMC) beta-band (13-30 Hz) spectral power was measured using subdural electrocorticography (sECoG) in patients with Parkinson's disease undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery. Spectral power was analyzed during the movement preparation phase of a cued arm-reaching task. The outcome represents the change in beta-band spectral power during anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) relative to pre-stimulation baseline, averaged across task trials for each participant.

  Intraoperative assessment during deep brain stimulation surgery: baseline (pre-tDCS) and during anodal tDCS; change from baseline during movement preparation reported.

Study Arms (1)

Stimulation (invasive recording)

Patients with Parkinson's disease undergoing surgery for deep brain stimulation will be studied using electrocorticography combined with transcranial direct current stimulation

Device: transcranial direct current stimulation (invasive recording)

Interventions

transcranial direct current stimulation (invasive recording) DEVICE

Subjects are brought into the operating room. The scalp is prepped with a sterilizing solution. Following infiltration with local anesthetic and incision, a 6-contact electrocorticography strip is inserted into the burr hole covering primary motor cortex. Electrocorticography strip terminals are connected to an amplifier for signal recording. Gas-sterilized transcranial direct current stimulation electrodes are placed on the scalp directly overlying primary motor cortex. tDCS electrodes are connected to a low-current generator. During electrocorticographic recording, stimulation is turned on while subjects are asked to flex each arm. At the conclusion of the experiment, the electrocorticography strip and tDCS electrodes are removed and the surgery proceeds as planned.

Stimulation (invasive recording)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

patients with parkinson's disease

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 or older
• Previous consent to be contacted regarding potential participation in a research study at Medical University of South Carolina

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects unable to actively participate in the consent process physically and/or cognitively
• Pregnancy
• Presence of scalp injury or disease
• Prior history of seizures
• Metal implants in head or neck
• Prior intracranial surgery
• Prior brain radiotherapy
• Prior history of intracranial tumor, intracranial infection or cerebrovascular malformation

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medical University of South Carolina: lead

Study Sites (1)

Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, 29425, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Interventions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Electric Stimulation Therapy; Therapeutics; Convulsive Therapy; Psychiatric Somatic Therapies; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Electroshock; Psychological Techniques

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Attending
• Organization: Medical University of South Carolina

rowlandn@musc.edu

8437927700

Study Officials

• Nathan C Rowland, MD,PhD

  Medical University of South Carolina

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 21, 2020
• First Posted: February 18, 2021
• Study Start: January 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2025
• Study Completion: January 1, 2025
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026
• Results First Posted: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)