Using brain stimulation to improve language recovery in stroke patients with aphasia
Official title: Exogenous Tuning of Neural Oscillations as a Mode of Treatment in Post-stroke Aphasia
Run by Medical College of Wisconsin · NCT04375722 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if a new brain stimulation technique can help stroke patients with aphasia recover their language skills better than regular therapy alone.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 85 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Medical College of Wisconsin Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 4, 2020 |
| Main results expected | January 2030 |
| Study ends | December 2030 |
| Registry record updated | July 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT04375722 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates include right-handed adults aged 18 and older who are fluent in English and have been diagnosed with post-stroke aphasia.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe cognitive impairments, major psychiatric disorders, or contraindications to tACS or MRI may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study investigates the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on language recovery in individuals with post-stroke aphasia. Aphasia, a communication disorder resulting from brain damage, affects language production and comprehension. The study aims to enhance traditional speech and language therapies by applying high-definition tACS to restore neural activity and improve connectivity in the brain's language network. Participants include both stroke patients with aphasia and healthy controls, with the goal of assessing the efficacy of tACS in facilitating language recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly enhance language recovery and communication abilities in stroke patients with aphasia.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with brain stimulation techniques in improving language functions, suggesting potential for success in this novel approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Healthy Controls * 18 years of age or older * Fluent in English * No history of neurological or psychiatric disorders Stroke Patients * Diagnosed with post-stroke aphasia by referring physician/neuropsychologist * Consent date \>=1 months after stroke onset * Right-handed * Fluent in English * 18 years of age or older Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive, auditory or visual impairments that would preclude cognitive and language testing * Presence of major untreated or unstable psychiatric disease * A chronic medical condition that is not treated or is unstable * The presence of cardiac stimulators or pacemakers * Any metal implants in the skull * Contraindications to MRI or tACS * History of seizures * History of dyslexia or other developmental learning disabilities
Where it's running
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Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Priyanka Shah-Basak, PhD — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Sidney Schoenrock, MA
- Email: sschoenrock@mcw.edu
- Phone: 414-955-7579
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Tailoring rTMS for Post-Stroke Aphasia Based on Language Profile
A non-drug brain stimulation approach is tested to see if customizing rTMS targets improves language recovery in people with aphasia after a left-brain stroke.
-
tDCS in Rehab for Stroke-Related Aphasia: A Practical Implementation
This study tests whether a 20-minute anodal tDCS session paired with speech therapy can be integrated into routine inpatient and outpatient rehab for people who recently had a stroke and now have aphasia.
-
Decoding Mandarin speech features from brain-surface signals
This project will try to decode imagined Mandarin speech, including lexical tones, from high-density brain-surface (ECoG) signals in adult patients who are having clinically indicated cortical electrode placement.
-
Digital speech-therapy app Zenicom for subacute post-stroke aphasia in Korean speakers
This trial will try the Zenicom digital speech-therapy app alongside conventional therapy to see if it helps Korean adults with aphasia after a recent (within 3 months) stroke.
-
Deep phenotyping to explore recovery in young adults after stroke
This project will test whether a detailed health and sample-collection approach (deep phenotyping) is practical and acceptable for people aged 18–55 who have had a stroke.
-
TMS plus language therapy to improve word-finding after left-hemisphere stroke
Researchers will try excitatory transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with semantic feature analysis language therapy to improve word-finding in adults with aphasia after left-hemisphere stroke.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.