Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke
Eligible age
18+ yrs
Accepts
All genders
Locations
3 states
Healthy volunteers
No
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About this study
Many patients with acute ischemic stroke are ineligible for currently available standard treatments (clot-busting medication, also known as intravenous thrombolytic or mechanical removal of a clot), and many are non-responders, resulting in a low rate of excellent outcomes, which necessitates the development of novel therapies. In this study, investigators are testing a new treatment in which a weak electrical current will be applied via scalp electrodes to increase collateral blood flow to the brain and rescue the brain tissue at risk of injury. The primary aim is to find an optimal dose of this therapy that is both adequately safe and effective on imaging markers of brain tissue rescue.
Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
You may qualify if…
- ✓ New focal neurologic deficit consistent with AIS
- ✓ National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥4 or NIHSS\< 4 in the presence of disabling deficit (a deficit that, if unchanged, would prevent the
- ✓ patient from performing basic activities of daily living such as bathing, ambulating, toileting, hygiene, and eating or returning to work)
- ✓ Age\>18
- ✓ Presence of any cortical vessel occlusion, including Internal Carotid Artery, branches of Middle Cerebral Artery, Anterior Cerebral Artery, Posterior Cerebral Artery, Posterior-Inferior Cerebellar Artery
- ✓ Presence of salvageable penumbra with perfusion lesion volume to ischemic core volume ratio of ≥ 1.2 on multimodal imaging
- ✓ Patient ineligible for endovascular thrombectomy per American Heart/Stroke Associations Guidelines
- ✓ Patient is able to be treated with tDCS within 24 hours of last known well time
You may not qualify if…
- ✕ Acute intracranial hemorrhage
- ✕ Presence of MRI and gadolinium contraindications including cardiac implantable devices, cochlear implant, implanted neurostimulation device, unremovable metallic body piercing, magnetic dental implants, drug infusion pumps, estimated glomerular filtration rate of less than 35 mL/min/1.73 m2, allergy to gadolinium
- ✕ Evidence of a large Ischemic core volume more than equal to 100 cc
- ✕ Presence of transcranial direct current stimulation contraindications - electrically or magnetically activated intracranial metal and non-metal implants.
- ✕ Pregnancy
- ✕ Signs or symptoms of acute myocardial infarction on admission
- ✕ History of seizure disorder or new seizures with presentation of current stroke
- ✕ Evidence of any other major life-threatening or serious medical condition that would prevent completion of the study protocol, including attendance at the 3-month follow-up visit
Where it's recruiting
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT06440707 · last updated 2026-05-01