Experimental Therapeutics in Essential Tremor Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Thérapeutique expérimentale du Tremblement Essentiel Par la Stimulation Trans-crânienne Par Courant Direct (tDCS) du Cortex cérébelleux et du Cortex Moteur. Etude Exploratoire.

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01579435

Acronym

ELECTRE

Enrollment

Registered

2012-04-18

Start date

2012-04-30

Completion date

2013-04-30

Last updated

2013-04-11

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Essential Tremor

Keywords

essential tremor, primary motor cortex, cerebellum, transcranial direct current stimulation, electrophysiology

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) delivered over the motor cortex or the cerebellum can improve essential tremor and to identify the cerebral mechanisms involved in these potential effects.

Interventions

DEVICEtranscranial direct current stimulation

Active stimulation: duration: 20 mn, intensity: 2 mA; localisation : motor cortex or cerebellum; Placebo stimulation: duration: 9 seconds, intensity: 2 mA; localisation : motor cortex or cerebellum;

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 50 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Age ≥ 18 years and \< 50 years * Important essential tremor (bilateral postural and/or action tremor since more than one year) * Normal physical and neurological examination, except for essential tremor * Insufficient efficiency of usual essential tremor's treatment * No treatment altering the cortical excitability * Agreement to use a medically acceptable method of contraception throughout the study for female of childbearing potential

Exclusion criteria

* Cervical tremor * Current neurological or psychiatric illness other than essential tremor * Individual who is on medication which is known to lower seizure threshold * Previous history of seizure(s), malaise or current active epilepsy * Contraindication for MRI or TMS study * Pregnancy, breast feeding women and women who are of childbearing age and not practicing adequate birth control * Individual who have MMS ≤ 24/30 or patients legally protected or inability to provide an informed consent * Simultaneous participation in another clinical trial * Patients who are not enrolled at social security

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Change from baseline in tremor amplitude on accelerometric recording 10 minutes after the end of tDCS	10 minutes after the end of tDCS

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Change from baseline in tremor amplitude on electromyographic recordings	During tDCS (expected average of 15 minutes), 10 and 60 mn after the end of tDCS
Change from baseline in tremor amplitude on digitized tablet	During tDCS (expected average of 15 minutes), 10 and 60 mn after the end of tDCS
Change from baseline in tremor amplitude on accelerometric recording	During tDCS (expected average of 15 minutes) and 60 minutes after the end of tDCS

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026