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Zapping the healthy side of the brain to reconnect stroke Survivors' arms

NCT ID NCT07860073

Symptom relief Sponsor: Wan-Wen Liao Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Oct 06, 2026 · Last updated Oct 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are testing a noninvasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to see if it can improve coordination between the arms in people who have lived with stroke-related arm weakness for at least six months. The study has two parts: first, they stimulate a motor planning area on the uninjured side of the brain to measure effects on arm movement; second, they combine the most responsive stimulation target with three sessions of bilateral arm training. The goal is to learn whether priming the brain before movement practice helps stroke survivors use both arms together more smoothly.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the brain, alone or combined with bilateral arm training
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a noninvasive way to help stroke survivors regain two-handed coordination and daily independence.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early study of 14 people with chronic stroke, so results may not hold for others or translate into lasting real-world gains. Brain stimulation can cause scalp discomfort or headaches.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

14 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Apr 2016

Finished

May 2018

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

50 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Stroke Participants: * Age 50 years and older * Unilateral ischemic cortical or white matter subcortical stroke * At least 6 months post-stroke and have completed all inpatient and outpatient therapy * Residual arm paresis as indicated by Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) scores between 25 and 65 (individuals in this range have demonstrated the ability to generate motor evoked potentials during active muscle contraction) * Able to reach forward for at least 15 centimeters Healthy Controls: * Age-matched to a stroke participant within plus or minus 3 years * Gender-matched to a stroke participant Exclusion Criteria: Stroke Participants and Healthy Controls: * A non-stroke neuromuscular disorder restricting exercise * Stroke involving the brainstem or cerebellum * Any medical conditions that could limit physical activity levels required for testing and training, such as acute cardiac or pulmonary/respiratory conditions, or uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure greater than 180/100 mmHg) * Significant orthopedic or chronic pain conditions limiting upper extremity movements * Any medications that may adversely impact upper extremity control * Metallic implant in the head or chest, implanted pumps/stimulators/shunts, or cardiac pacemaker * A history of seizures * Use of any neuropsychoactive medication * History of fainting spells of undetermined etiology * Pregnancy * Any other concomitant neurological condition affecting sensorimotor systems, such as brain tumor, substance abuse, or dementia

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

stroke disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Hemiparesis after stroke Stroke

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science, University of Maryland Baltimore

    Baltimore, Maryland, United States

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