Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right-hemisphere on Picture Naming in Chronic Aphasia

There are two opposing hypotheses, namely the interference and laterality-shift hypotheses, regarding the role of the right hemisphere (RH) in language recovery following a left hemisphere damage. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has received increasing attention as a potential complement to behavioural therapy.

This preliminary study aimed to examine the effect of excitatory (anodal) stimulation of right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on naming abilities of chronic people with aphasia (PWA) to examine the compensatory versus interference role of RH in language recovery, and to confirm the application of tDCS does not induce adverse effects on other cognitive and language functions.

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Key information

Conditions

Aphasia Communication Disorders Language Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Speech Disorders

Age range

40 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

People with chronic aphasia following the stroke

Exclusion criteria

history of seizure or epilepsy,
previous adverse reactions to TMS/tDCS,
having a pace-maker or a metal implanted in the brain
being pregnant

Treatment and study plan

tDCS stimulation

Device

The study examines the effect of excitatory stimulation of right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on naming abilities of people with aphasia (PWA) as compared to sham stimulation to examine the compensatory versus interference role of right hemisphere in language recovery after stroke.

Other names: language therapy

Primary outcomes

Picture naming task

Time frame: Immediately after the end of each treatment session and block

One hundred and sixty pictures of concrete nouns from the Snodgrass and Vanderwart (1980) picture set (colored version) were utilised to measure the percentage of object naming accuracy. In particular, these pictures were divided into Set A (training targets) and Set B (untrained generalization targets), with eighty stimuli in each set.

Secondary outcomes

language task

Time frame: Immediately after the end of each treatment block
- Overall language skills are measured through the overall aphasia scores provided by the Cantonese version of Western Aphasia Battery (short-form).
The scale is called Aphasia quotient: Minimum value = 0, maximum value = 100, with higher scores mean a better performance.
Cognitive task

Time frame: Immediately after the end of each treatment block

The cognitive skills are measured through the subtest scores provided by Oxford Cognitive Screening-Cantonese. The test uses different sub-tests including the Picture naming, Semantics, Orientation, Visual field task, Sentence reading , Calculation, Attention, Praxis, Memory, and Executive tasks. The range of values varies across the subtests. For all subtests except the executive task, the higher scores reflect better performance. For executive tasks the lower scores reflect better performance.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Hong Kong

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of tDCS Stimulation of Right Inferior Frontal Gyrus on Language Recovery in Speakers With Aphasia

Important dates

Study start: 2017
Primary completion: 2017
Study completion: 2017
First posted: Jul 25, 2022
Registry last updated: Nov 4, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed