Aging, Aphasia, Stroke
Conditions
Keywords
stroke, aphasia, aging, language learning
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to test the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex of the language dominant hemisphere on language learning in healthy subjects and stroke patients with aphasia. We hypothesize that anodal stimulation enhances the learning of action words compared to sham and cathodal stimulation.
Detailed description
The motor cortex is involved at different levels of language processing. It has been demonstrated that the perception of action words activates motor representations in the language-dominant hemisphere. However, it is not known whether modulation of excitability has an effect on learning new action words. Thus, we hypothesize that transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex of the language-dominant hemiphere modulates the acquisition of new action words. The results bear the potential to design new rehabilitative strategies in stroke patients with aphasia. The motor cortex might offer an access to the language network that can be used for interventional approaches such as neurostimulation.
Interventions
DEVICEtranscranial direct current stimulation
1 mV for 20 min (verum conditions: anodal and cathodal)or 30 seconds (placebo condition: sham) during language learning , active electrode over primary motor cortex of language dominant hemisphere, reference electrode over contralateral supraorbital area
Sponsors
German Research Foundation
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 86 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* age \>18 and \< 86 years * contractual capability * ischemic stroke excluding motor cortex (stroke patients) * minimum time since stroke 9 months * aphasia (stroke patients) * severe aphasia that impedes understanding of instructions (stroke patients)
Exclusion criteria
* sever head trauma in the past * seizures * pace maker * metal implants in the head/neck region * severe comorbidity, especially neurologic and psychiatric diseases * intake of illegal drugs * Mini Mental State examination score \< 27 * neuroactive substances, e.g. antidepressants * pregnancy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| word learning | immediately after intervention and after 1 week | learning of new action words measured as learned words/all words in % |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed