Shock to the system: brain stimulation may boost stroke rehab

NCT ID NCT03666533

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether adding a mild electrical brain stimulation called tDCS to physical therapy could improve walking in people who had a stroke. 44 participants who were at least 6 months post-stroke received either real or fake tDCS while doing gait exercises in a virtual reality setting. The goal was to see if the brain boost could lead to faster, safer walking.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a simple, low-cost way to boost walking recovery after stroke when added to standard physical therapy.
What could go wrong: This was a small, early-stage study (44 people) with no phase designation, so results may not apply widely. tDCS effects can be subtle and inconsistent.

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

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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.

GAIT IMPAIRMENT STROKE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Louis Stokes VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, Ohio, 44106-1702, United States

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