Can zapping the brain while playing virtual reality games help kids with cerebral palsy stay steady?
NCT ID NCT07829770
First seen Sep 21, 2026 · Last updated Sep 21, 2026
Summary
Children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy often struggle with balance and may have trouble with attention, memory, and mental flexibility. Researchers are testing whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, combined with virtual reality rehabilitation improves these skills more than virtual reality alone or standard physical therapy. The trial will enroll 42 children aged 8 to 16 who are randomly assigned to one of three groups and complete 18 treatment sessions over six weeks. Balance and executive function will be measured at the start, midway, and end of the study.
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), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to help children with cerebral palsy improve balance and thinking skills alongside standard physical therapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial of 42 children, so results may not hold up in larger studies. Brain stimulation can cause mild scalp tingling or discomfort, and benefits may fade without continued therapy.
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 42 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2026
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
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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8 to 16 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia). Age 8-16 years. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III. Presence of mild to moderate lower-limb spasticity, defined as a Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) score between 1 and 3 in at least one major lower-limb muscle group, such as the gastrocnemius, hamstrings, or hip adductors. Able to understand and follow verbal instructions. Parent or guardian provides informed consent and the child provides assent Exclusion Criteria: * History of seizures or epilepsy. Implanted metal or electronic devices, such as a pacemaker. Severe cognitive impairment that prevents comprehension of study tasks. Skin allergies, lesions, or other conditions affecting the electrode application sites. Current use of antispasticity medication that could directly influence spasticity outcomes. Botulinum toxin injection within the previous 3 months. Recent orthopedic surgery or change in medication regimen within the previous 5 days. Concurrent participation in alternative or adjunct therapies outside the study protocol. Refusal to participate or withdrawal of consent/assent
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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
2 sites. 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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Al-Farabi Special Education Centre for Physically Handicapped
RECRUITINGIslamabad, 44000, Pakistan
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Sedum School of Rehabilitation
RECRUITINGIslamabad, 44000, Pakistan
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can modified music tunes boost balance in kids with cerebral palsy?
- Can targeted exercise programs improve balance in children with cerebral palsy?
- Video games as therapy? VR may boost mobility in kids with cerebral palsy
- Core strength may steady children with cerebral palsy — a trial puts it to the test
- Core stability exercises may boost sensory and motor skills in kids with cerebral palsy