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Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) in Drug-resistant Partial Epilepsy

BRAINSTIM : Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) in Drug-resistant Partial Epilepsy

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02465970
Acronym
BRAINSTIM
Enrollment
5
Registered
2015-06-09
Start date
2015-11-13
Completion date
2018-12-31
Last updated
2019-01-09

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

Conditions

Epilepsy

Keywords

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Brief summary

Drug-resistant partial epilepsy has a heavy impact on quality of life and sometimes on life expectancy itself. Only a minority of patients may benefit from a curative epilepsy surgery. Neurostimulation, which can be an effective add-on treatment, is currently mainly represented by vagus nervus stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation, a non -invasive technique already used in other areas of neurology, may be efficient on some partial epilepsies, in particular through the individual configuration of stimulation, made possible by recent technological advances. Main goal : To study the effect of transcranial electrical stimulation on the frequency of seizures in patients with drug-resistant partial epilepsy. Hypothesis : Reduction of 50% or more in the frequency of occurrence of seizures within 24 hours following an individually configured TDCS session: responders in real TDCS vs placebo stimulation.

Interventions

DEVICESTARSTIM

Multifocal transcranial direct current stimulation. * CE-marked device, comprising a cap with 2 to 8 electrodes, connected with a programmable mobile stimulator. * The stimulation is applied during a 60 min session

DEVICEsham TDCS

Sponsors

Rennes University Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
15 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age greater than or equal to 15 years; * Patients with drug-partial resistant epilepsy with the following characteristics: * Disabling epilepsy despite an optimized pharmacological treatment. * An average of one seizure a day or more during the week preceding the inclusion * Focal epilepsy in which epileptogenic zone is documented by paraclinical examinations consistent with clinical data * Existence of measurable EEG markers of epilepsy * Anti-epileptic drug treatment unmodified during the 2 weeks preceding the inclusion no change to treatment planned during the study. * Signed informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* Patients under 15 years; * Patients in which a standard quality EEG recording is not possible * Patients with ictal bradycardia or ictal syncope ; * Patients with heart disease which may result in heart arrhythmia ; * Incapacitated patients (curatorship, guardianship), patients deprived of liberty. * Pregnant or lactating women * Vagus nervus stimulation is not an

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Reduction of 50% or more in the frequency of occurrence of seizures within 24 hours following an individually configured TDCS session: responders in real TDCS vs placebo stimulation.24 hours

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Clinical : - Reduction in the duration of seizures6 months
Electrophysiological : Decrease of epileptic EEG paroxysms at 8 and 24 hours after a TDCS session8-24 hours
Clinical : - Significant reduction of the frequency of occurrence of seizures within 24 hours, 48 hours, and 7 days following a session of TDCS.24 hours until 7 days
-Clinical : Improvement in the quality of life within 7 days following a TDCS session7 days
Electrophysiological : - Decrease of epileptic EEG paroxysms immediately following a TDCS session.up to 1 min
- Clinical : If appropriate, reduction of the frequency of occurrence of secondary generalized seizures.6 months

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

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