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NCT Number: NCT07700537

Efficacy and Neural Mechanisms of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Supplementary Motor Area for the Treatment of Subacute Post-stroke Aphasia

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in patients with post-stroke aphasia (PSA) and to explore its potential neural mechanisms. The study will recruit PSA patients and provide them with 14 tDCS sessions over 7 days, along with speech therapy. Language Behavior Scale scores and resting-state functional MRI scans will be collected before and after the intervention. In addition, a retrospective comparison will be conducted of language function and resting-state fMRI changes in a group of PSA patients who received only speech therapy; these patients did not undergo any physical intervention but received only speech therapy. Changes in Language Behavior Scale scores and functional connectivity (FC) before and after treatment in the speech therapy-only group will be analyzed and compared with those in the tDCS intervention group.

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Key information

Conditions

Post-stroke Aphasia

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Hefei, Anhui, China

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Jian Guan

CONTACT

[email protected]

+86-19810696998

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients must be between 18 and 80 years of age
  • First stroke in the left hemisphere
  • Stroke onset within the past 12 weeks
  • Native Chinese speakers who were able to communicate normally prior to onset
  • Diagnosed with aphasia using the ABC scale
  • Right-handed
  • Informed consent obtained from the patient and family members

Exclusion criteria

  • Time since stroke onset exceeds 12 weeks
  • History of psychiatric or neurological disorders
  • History of surgery for severe head trauma, brain tumors, or brain abscesses
  • Severe articulation disorders
  • Claustrophobia or implants incompatible with MRI
  • Inability to cooperate with language scale testing or fMRI scanning
  • History of previous stroke

Treatment and study plan

transcranial direct current stimulation

Other

As a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, tDCS offers advantages such as convenience, safety, and low cost. Its mechanism of action involves regulating neuronal activity in the brain by applying a weak direct current to the scalp.

Primary outcomes

  1. Aphasia quotient (AQ)

    Time frame: Baseline, immediately after all interventions have ended

    The Aphasia Battery of Chinese (ABC) is a standardized Chinese adaptation of the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB). The Aphasia Quotient (AQ) is a composite score that reflects the overall severity of language impairment. The AQ score ranges from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 100. Higher scores indicate better language function (i.e., less severe impairment).

Secondary outcomes

  1. rs-fMRI

    Time frame: Baseline, immediately after all interventions have ended

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jian Guan

CONTACT

[email protected]

+86-19810696998

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Study on the Efficacy and Neural Mechanisms of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Supplementary Motor Area for the Treatment of Subacute Post-stroke Aphasia

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jul 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 17, 2026

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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