Stroke Therapy With Brain Oscillation Synchronized Stimulation
Germany30 participantsStarted 2019-10-02
Plain-language summary
This randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical pilot trial investigates the therapeutic potential of a novel personalized therapeutic brain-stimulation protocol in chronic stroke patients with spasticity. Stroke patients will either receive ipsilesional 100 Hz transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) triplet burst protocol synchronized to the ongoing µ-alpha oscillation or contralesional 1 Hz repetitive TMS (rTMS) protocol. Motor recovery is assessed directly after as well as three months after completion of the therapy.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 85 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Patients are between 18 to 85 years old
. Patient suffers from chronic stroke including hand/arm paresis and spasticity
. Ipsilesional motor evoked potentials (MEPs) can be evoked (EMG \> 50uV)
. RMT of contralesional side \< 70% maximum stimulator output (MSO)
. Patient is willing to comply with the study restrictions.
. Subject FMA-UE at the lesioned side is \<= 60.
Exclusion criteria
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Change in Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity (FMA-UE)
Timeframe: Difference of score directly before intervention and score directly after intervention
2
Change in Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity (FMA-UE)
Timeframe: Difference of score directly before intervention and score 3 months after intervention
. Patient with intake of pro-convulsive medication, e.g. , chlorpromazine, clozapine, foscarnet, ganciclovir, ritonavir, amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), phencyclidine (PCP, angel's dust), ketamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), alcohol, theophylline, in accord with present consensus guidelines on safety, ethical considerations, and application of TMS in clinical practice and research (Rossi et al., 2009, 2021).
. Subject with intake of muscle-relaxing medication (e.g. baclofen, tizanidine, gabapentin,tolperisone, THC and derivates)
. When spasticity is treated with botox there have to be at least tree months since the last injection
. Patient has a cardiac pacemaker, implanted medication pump, intracardiac line, that is located close to (≤ 10 cm) to the location of activation of the TMS coil or acute, unstable cardiac disease.
. Patient has an intracranial implant (e.g., aneurysm clips, shunts, stimula-tors, cochlear implants, or electrodes) or any other metal object that is located close to (≤ 10 cm) to the location of activation of the TMS coil (excluding the mouth) and that cannot be safely removed.
. Patient has participated in another study within 2 weeks prior to the first study visit.