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Treatment of Cognitive and Sensorimotor Deficits in Parkinson's Disease With High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
50 Years to 90 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether tDCS, which uses a weak electrical current to stimulate the brain, can help people with Parkinson’s disease. It looks at finding words, thinking, sensing, and controlling movement. It is for adults ages 50–90 who have trouble finding words on testing.

The purpose of this research study is to examine the effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on verbal retrieval and cognition and sensorimotor control and to determine if tDCS can be used as a way to improve retrieval, sensory, and motor abilities in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Have Parkinson’s disease and trouble finding words, shown by a score below the study’s cutoff on a listed test.
  • Be 50–90 years old.
  • Be able to understand and sign the study consent form and answer questions about it.
  • Speak and read English fluently.

Who can't join

  • Score below 23 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a thinking and memory test, unless a study partner or caregiver comes with you and both of you give written consent.
  • Have a history of seizures, unexplained fainting or loss of awareness, severe or frequent headaches, severe brain injury, a brain tumor, stroke, or Huntington’s disease.
  • Have an unstable or uncontrolled mental health or brain-related illness, or currently misuse drugs.
  • Have a serious or life-threatening disease, such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a long-term lung disease), or active cancer.
  • Have skull implants or defects that affect treatment; a brain device or pacemaker; heart, nerve, or medicine-delivery implants; electrically, magnetically, or mechanically activated implants; or clips or electrically sensitive support devices in the brain.
  • Have damaged skin where stimulation is given, or skin conditions such as dermatitis, psoriasis, or eczema.
  • Be pregnant, or have only dysarthria (trouble speaking clearly because of muscle control problems).
  • Take medicines that may affect stimulation or EEG (a brain-wave test): seizure medicines, carbamazepine, sulpiride, pergolide, lorazepam, rivastigmine, dextromethorphan, D-cycloserine, flunarizine, ropinirole, citalopram, or stimulants.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with PD having a verbal fluency deficit based on neuropsychological test (T-score \< 40 or a T-score \<-1.0 SD below the average T-score): Semantic Object Retrieval Test (SORT), COWAT (both letter and category fluency), Boston Naming Test (BNT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) * 50 - 90 years old * Capable of understanding and signing an informed consent (able to answer consent comprehension questions) * Fluent in speaking and reading English Exclusion Criteria: A potentially study-confounding, tDCS-contraindicated, or EEG-contraindicated psychological, neuropsychiatric, neurological, or other medical issues: * Montreal Cognitve Assessment (MOCA) score \<23, unless an accompanying study partner/caregiver is with them and we can obtain the written consent of both the participant and the participant's accompanying study partner/caregiver (i.e., the participant's spouse, adult child, parent, or adult sibling); * history of seizures; * unexplained episodes of loss of consciousness (as these may be related to brain alterations or epilepsy); * suffering from severe or frequent headaches; * unstable or uncontrolled neuropsychiatric illness; * severe traumatic brain injury (based on the Ohio State TBI Identification; Method); * brain tumor; stroke; present drug abuse/misuse; * brain tumor; * serious or life-threatening diseases, including congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or active malignancy; * Huntington's disease; * stroke; * cranial implants or skull defects that affect tDCS administration; * implanted brain medical devices, including, deep brain stimulators (DBS); * implanted pacemakers; * any electrically, magnetically, or mechanically activated implants; * cardiac, neural, or medication implants; * vascular clips or other electrically sensitive support systems in the brain; * damaged skin at the sites of stimulation (the device should only be used on healthy, intact skin, as wounds may alter resistance to current); * skin conditions such as dermatitis, psoriasis, or eczema; * pregnant women; * diagnosis of just dysarthria; Use of medications that interact with or potentially interact with tDCS or EEG effects: * anti-convulsants; * carbamazepine; * sulpiride; * pergolide; * lorazepam; * rivastigmine; * dextromethorphan; * D-cycloserine; * flunarizine; * ropinirole; * citalopram; * stimulants; Additionally, non-English speakers will be excluded because not all of the screening forms, questionnaires, and tests are available in languages other than English.

Study sites (1)

TX