ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT07291687
tDCS as Treatment for Motor Function
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as a Treatment for Motor Function in Participants Living With Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Corticalbasal Syndrome Degeneration, or Parkinson's Disease
AI summaryWhat this study is about, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴
AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.
Randomized, triple-masked crossover trial testing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) paired with walking and training sessions in people with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Cortical Basal Ganglionic Degeneration, or Parkinson Disease. Each participant will receive both real and sham tDCS (20-minute sessions) while doing training; gait, speech articulation, eye-gaze, and motor dexterity are measured at baseline, after treatment, and two weeks later. Investigators plan about 30 participants per condition to compare responses across diagnostic groups.
What it is studying. Whether applying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during walking and related training changes motor function measures (primarily gait speed) and other abilities such as speech articulation and eye-gaze, and whether responses differ between PSP, cortical basal degeneration, and Parkinson disease.
What the researchers hope to learn. To find out if tDCS given during walking/training changes motor measures (gait speed, speech articulation, eye-gaze, motor dexterity); to compare how people with each listed diagnosis respond; to examine whether any changes last for at least two weeks and whether electrode arrangement affects results.
What this study is about
The study's own summary, as published on ClinicalTrials.gov. Underlined terms have a short explanation.
Previous preliminary results are sufficiently impressive to suggest that tDCS stimulation does have the potential to improve motor function when that ability is trained during stimulation. In the proposed study, the investigation will assess whether walking sessions combined with tDCS lead to improvements in motor function: gait, articulation, eye gaze, and motor dexterity. In addition, the investigators wish to examine if such results can be replicated in people with other conditions, such as cortical basal syndrome, and Parkinson's disease.
Interventions being studied
Being studied in this trial does not mean the treatment or procedure is approved or available for this condition.
- Device
- Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS)
- Stimulation Arm
Eligibility
The criteria exactly as listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. Only the study team can say whether they apply to you.
Inclusion criteria
- 1. Participants must be able to walk unassisted, or with the assistance of a walker or cane, and be individuals who walk daily.
- Participants should have a sufficient level of English to be able to express themselves verbally, be able to read and follow instructions.
Exclusion criteria
- Individuals with metal implants within the brain such as shunts will be excluded.
Study description and what participation involves
The study's detailed description, as published on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Detailed description from the registry
Previous preliminary results are sufficiently impressive to suggest that tDCS stimulation does have the potential to improve motor function when that ability is trained during stimulation. In the proposed study, the investigators will assess whether walking sessions combined with tDCS lead to improvements in motor function: gait, articulation, eye gaze, and motor dexterity. In addition, the investigators wish to examine if such results can be replicated in people with other conditions, such as cortical basal syndrome, and Parkinson's disease. The rationale for including people living with these conditions is the overlap in motor and cortical network dysfunction observed across these disorders. All three conditions involve impairment of motor initiation, gait, coordination, and executive motor control due to degeneration in frontal-subcortical pathways. This extension will also allow for comparison of stimulation responsiveness across related diagnostic groups and provide insight into disease-specific factors influencing motor recovery potential. Previous tDCS studies have found significant results with sample sizes between 10-20 participants for a two-round study comparing training sessions with real tDCS versus sessions done without tDCS. However, the investigators plan to recruit 30 participants living with each condition as this will allow us to examine results per group, but also how the individual groups compare.
AI summaryWhat participation may involve, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴
AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.
You will take part in repeated training sessions during which you receive 20 minutes of either real or sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) while doing training tasks (the record describes walking/motor training and also mentions training on cognitive tasks). The study uses a randomized crossover design, so each participant receives both real and sham stimulation in different rounds. Clinical tests — including timed walking (gait speed), clinician-rated speech/articulation tasks, and bedside eye‑gaze assessments — are done at baseline, after the final stimulation session in each round, and again two weeks later. The registry does not list other procedures or patient services.
How the study is structured. An interventional, randomized crossover device trial in which participants receive both real and sham tDCS in separate rounds so each person serves as their own control. Sessions involve about 20 minutes of tDCS during training (walking or related tasks); outcomes are measured at baseline, at the final stimulation session of each round, and at a two-week follow-up. The study is triple-masked and compares real versus sham stimulation effects on gait and other motor measures.
Questions you could ask
These questions are suggestions for a conversation with the study team or your own clinician, not advice.
- The listed sites are in Canada. Is any of them reachable for me, and does the study help with travel?
- Which of the eligibility criteria would need to be checked with tests before I could join?
More on progressive supranuclear palsy
Important dates
- Study start
- Oct 30, 2025
- Primary completion
- December 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- December 2030 (estimated)
- Target enrollment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Last updated on registry
- Dec 18, 2025
- Data verified
- Oct 10, 2026
Sponsor and research team
The lead sponsor funds and oversees the trial. A pharmaceutical or biotech company sponsor typically means the study is testing that company's drug or device; a hospital, university, or government agency usually indicates investigator-initiated or publicly funded research.
- Lead sponsor
- Baycrest
- Principal investigator
- Tyler Roncero, Principle Investigator
Baycrest
Central study contact
If you're interested in participating, the central contact can answer general questions about the study — including eligibility requirements and how to find a recruiting site near you. Actual eligibility is determined by the site's medical team.
- Alice Zhang, B.Sc 📞 (416) 785-2500 ext. 2522 ✉ azhang4@research.baycrest.org
- Tyler Roncero, Ph.D 📞 T (416) 785-2500 ext. ext. 2522 ✉ croncero@research.baycrest.org
Participating sites (1)
- Baycrest Academy of Health Sciences and Geriatric ResearchRecruiting
Toronto, Ontario, M6A 2E1 · Canada
Terms used on this page · explanations by MedicalUpdates.ai
- Inclusion Criteria
- The conditions a person must meet to be considered for the study, for example a confirmed diagnosis, an age range or a test result.
- Exclusion Criteria
- The conditions that rule a person out even if they meet the inclusion criteria, for example other illnesses, certain medicines or pregnancy.
The study record on this page is reproduced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, where it was submitted by the study sponsor. MedicalUpdates.ai does not own this content, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ClinicalTrials.gov, NIH, or the U.S. Government, and does not verify the record. Plain-language notes, the glossary and the questions above are added by this site; text in the boxes marked "AI summary" was written by an AI model and may contain errors. Registry records change over time. Check the original record for the current version and discuss eligibility or participation with a qualified healthcare professional.
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