Could a headset at home ease Huntington's symptoms?
NCT ID NCT06843252
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether a gentle brain stimulation device (tDCS) used at home can help with cognitive and behavioral symptoms in Huntington's disease. Sixteen adults with early to moderate Huntington's will use the device daily for 30 minutes, alternating between real and sham stimulation. The main goal is to see if the approach is feasible and acceptable, while also measuring changes in behavior and thinking.
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) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a safe, at-home way to manage behavioral and cognitive symptoms in Huntington's disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study (16 people) focused on feasibility, not proof of effectiveness. The results may not apply to all Huntington's patients, and tDCS may cause mild side effects like scalp discomfort.
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
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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
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About 16 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 85 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: 1. individuals aged 18-85 years with confirmed HD mutation and/or established family history alongside typical symptoms (i.e., chorea) of HD; 2. early (stages 1 and 2) or moderate (stage 3) stages according to Shoulson-Fahn criteria, also known as the UHDRS total functional capacity (TFC) scale (Bates, Tabrizi, and Jones 2014); 3. exhibit mild to moderate behavioral symptoms defined by severity scores in the PBA-S between 1 and 3 for any of the evaluated symptoms and no symptoms with a severity score of 4; 4. stable doses of medications for at least one month. 5. Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. 6. Have a caregiver willing to be present during tDCS sessions and answer questionnaires. Caregiver 1. An adult who serves as an unpaid caregiver for an individual enrolled in the study as interpreted by the PI or delegate physician. 2. Adequate cognitive capacity to provide verbal consent to participate in the caregiver arm of the study. 3. Adequate reading, writing, hearing, and verbal capacity to provide collateral information about the study participant as well as answer questions related to their health and care. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Unstable medical conditions (e.g. unstable angina, uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension, advanced cancer, etc.); 2. History of epilepsy; 3. Clinical diagnosis of major cognitive disorder (i.e., dementia); 4. Have risk of suicidal behavior, defined as any suicidal behavior or suicidal ideation of type 4 (active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without specific plan) or type 5 (active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent) based on the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) in the 3 months prior to screening (Posner et al. 2011); 5. Being an active participant in other therapeutic clinical trial; 6. Determined to be incapable of consent per PMH or via assessment by the study staff at time of consent. 7. Participant has a pacemaker or any other implanted device/material contraindicated in the use of tDCS per current labeling requirements. Caregiver 1\. Any individual who does not meet all the inclusion criteria
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
RECRUITINGSan Antonio, Texas, 78229, United States
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