Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) as an Intervention for Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02849223 |
Recruitment Status :
Active, not recruiting
First Posted : July 29, 2016
Last Update Posted : August 29, 2019
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Traumatic Brain Injury | Device: Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Device: Sham stimulation | Phase 2 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 41 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) as an Intervention for Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury |
Actual Study Start Date : | July 2016 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | January 2020 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | January 2020 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Participants will receive 24 sessions (3 times a week) of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation concurrent with working memory training. Stimulation will be administered at 2 milliamps (mA) for 20 minutes over the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex.
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Device: Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
2 milliamps (mA) of anodal stimulation will be applied to the left dorsal lateral cortex for 20 minutes concurrent with working memory training. |
Sham Comparator: Sham
Participants will receive 24 sessions of working memory training. The experience of transcranial direct current stimulation will be simulated by administering 30 seconds of stimulation at the beginning of the session.
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Device: Sham stimulation
30 seconds of anodal TDCS stimulation will be applied to the left dorsal lateral cortex concurrent with working memory training |
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-III Working Memory Index [ Time Frame: Post-Intervention, 9-10 weeks after baseline assessment ]Standard score
- University of California Performance Based Skills Assessment [ Time Frame: Post-Intervention, 9-10 weeks after baseline assessment ]Total Score
- Resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) [ Time Frame: Post-Intervention, 8-9 weeks after baseline assessment ]Theta amplified oscillatory power

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 65 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Veterans enrolled at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System
- Age of 18 and 65
- Sustained a mild traumatic brain injury more than 1 year ago.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Presence of a psychotic disorder
- Severely depressed
- Clinically unstable due to a hospitalization or medication change in the previous 4 weeks
- Mild substance use disorder in the last month
- Moderate to Severe substance use disorder in the last six months
- Behavioral problems that prevent participation in a group intervention
- Premorbid intellectual ability (IQ) below 70
- Unable to provide informed consent
- Have a guardian of person
- Have another existing neurological condition that impacts cognitive functioning
- Not fluent enough in English to understand testing procedures
- Have a medical condition that is incompatible with transcranial direct current stimulation.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02849223
United States, Minnesota | |
Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System | |
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417 |
Principal Investigator: | Tasha M Nienow, PhD | Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Health Care System |
Responsible Party: | Tasha Nienow, Staff Psychologist, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02849223 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
4654-A |
First Posted: | July 29, 2016 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | August 29, 2019 |
Last Verified: | August 2019 |
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Working Memory |
Brain Injuries Brain Injuries, Traumatic Wounds and Injuries Brain Diseases |
Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases Craniocerebral Trauma Trauma, Nervous System |