Actively Recruiting
Using Non-invasive Brain Stimulation to Treat Word Finding Difficulty in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury
Led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Updated on 2025-10-21
24
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
134 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
B
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The purpose of this study is to learn more about how brain stimulation affects word finding problems in people who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The type of brain stimulation used is called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS delivers low levels of electric current to the brain and high definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) delivers the current with multiple electrodes on the scalp. This current is delivered with HD-tDCS to parts of the brain that may help with remembering things. The investigators hope that this can help to improve word finding and memory problems in people with TBI.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Using Non-invasive Brain Stimulation to Treat Word Finding Difficulty in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age between 18 and 85 years
- Fluent in speaking and reading English
- Able to provide informed consent
- Had a traumatic brain injury at least one year prior to enrollment not related to military experience
- Has confirmed verbal retrieval difficulties measured by interview questions
You will not qualify if you...
- History of major or active neurological conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, brain tumor, dementia, or recent seizures within the past year
- History of major or active cardiovascular conditions like heart arrhythmia, heart failure, or heart attack
- Current substance use disorder
- History of major psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
- Severe depression at enrollment (BDI-II score 29 or higher) or psychiatric emergency visits or hospitalization within past 6 months
- Current sensory impairments (blindness, deafness) or physical impairments that affect testing
- Contraindications for tDCS or MRI
- Cannot be left alone for more than 8 hours
- Not verbally communicative
- Currently receiving speech or cognitive therapy and unwilling to stop during the study
- Unable to understand or provide consent
- Unable to travel to BIDMC's Berenson-Allen Center
- Pregnancy
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
I
Iris Hall, BS
CONTACT
H
Hsueh-Sheng Chiang, MD, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
TRIPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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