Influence of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cortical Plasticity in Concussed Athletes

Healthy Controls Clinical Trial

Official title:

Influence of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cortical Plasticity in Concussed Athletes and Healthy Volunteers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01593956
• Other study ID #: EA1/021/12
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 7, 2012
• Last updated: May 22, 2013
• Start date: March 2012

Study information

• Verified date: May 2013
• Source: Charite University, Berlin, Germany
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Germany: Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Concussed athlethes have discrete decreased abilities in motor learning. Recent research could further show, that cortical plasticity, as measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is reduced. This is possibly due to an increased GABAergic activity, what have been found in concussed athletes by paired pulse protocols in TMS.

GABAergic acitivty can be modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in a polar-specific manner: anodal tDCS was able to decrease GABA, whereas cathodal tDCS increased tDCS.

Our study aimes to assess the influence of anodal tDCS on cortical plsticity in concussed athlethes. We hypothesize, that anodal tDCS is able to increase cortical plsticity in concussed athlethes.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 30
• Est. primary completion date: July 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years to 50 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• history of at least 2 sports concussion

• age 18 - 50 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• structural deficit on cerebral MRI

• Epilepsy

• neurological disorder

• intake of CNS-active drugs

Study Design

Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Concussed Athletes
• Healthy Controls

Intervention

Behavioral:
• tDCS

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Germany	Charité - Department of neurology	Berlin

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Germany, 

References & Publications (3)

De Beaumont L, Tremblay S, Poirier J, Lassonde M, Théoret H. Altered bidirectional plasticity and reduced implicit motor learning in concussed athletes. Cereb Cortex. 2012 Jan;22(1):112-21. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhr096. Epub 2011 May 13. — View Citation

Stagg CJ, Bachtiar V, Johansen-Berg H. The role of GABA in human motor learning. Curr Biol. 2011 Mar 22;21(6):480-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.01.069. Epub 2011 Mar 3. — View Citation

Stagg CJ, Best JG, Stephenson MC, O'Shea J, Wylezinska M, Kincses ZT, Morris PG, Matthews PM, Johansen-Berg H. Polarity-sensitive modulation of cortical neurotransmitters by transcranial stimulation. J Neurosci. 2009 Apr 22;29(16):5202-6. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4432-08.2009. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Improvement of cortical plasticity after anodal tDCS in concussed athletes