High-definition tDCS Treatment for Cantonese-speaking Adults Who Stutter

Last updated: January 17, 2024
Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

N/A

Condition

Communication Disorders

Speech Disorders

Treatment

Sham-tDCS

Active-tDCS

Clinical Study ID

NCT05574803
HSEARS20210311001
  • Ages 18-60
  • All Genders

Study Summary

The proposed study aims to investigate the effect of combined transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and behavioural speech training in improving speech fluency in Cantonese-speaking adults who stutter (AWS), and to examine its maintenance over a 6-week period.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Demonstrated features of stuttering;
  • More than 2% of syllables stuttered over three baseline speech samples, as measured byqualified speech therapists.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Personal or family history of epilepsy or seizures
  • History of a neurological condition
  • Speech disorders
  • Hearing impairment
  • Metallic foreign body implant
  • On medications that lower neural thresholds (e.g. tricyclines, antidepressants,neuroleptic agents, etc.)
  • Pregnant
  • Had speech therapy for stuttering in the past four months

Study Design

Total Participants: 10
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Sham-tDCS
Phase:
Study Start date:
July 27, 2021
Estimated Completion Date:
December 31, 2023

Study Description

The proposed study aims to

  1. assess the effect of multiple sessions of tDCS over the supplementary motor area (SMA) combined with behavioural speech training on stuttering recovery in terms of a reduction of stuttering severity and increased speech satisfaction in Cantonese-speaking AWS;

  2. investigate the maintenance of combined tDCS-behavioural speech training effects on speech fluency and speech satisfaction in Cantonese-speaking AWS over a 6-week period.

Twenty Cantonese-speaking AWS will be randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Both groups will receive behavioral treatment for stuttering, including the speech prolongation technique, for five sessions. Concurrent with behavioural training, the experimental group will receive anodal tDCS (1 mA for 20 minutes), while the control group will receive sham tDCS (1 mA for one minute), over the SMA. Stuttering severity and speech satisfaction will be assessed independently before, immediately after, one week and six weeks after treatment. It is anticipated that AWS will experience reduction in their stuttering severity after stimulation, and the improvement will be maintained for a longer period as compared with receiving behavioural treatment alone.

Connect with a study center

  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    Kowloon,
    Hong Kong

    Site Not Available

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