Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Effects of rTMS Combined With Dual-Task Gait Training on Walking and Cognition After Stroke
Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Summary
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will investigate whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can enhance the effects of dual-task gait training in people with chronic stroke. Participants will be randomly allocated to receive either active rTMS or sham rTMS immediately before the same standardized dual-task gait training program. The intervention includes 12 sessions over 3 weeks. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after training, and at 4-week follow-up. Co-primary outcomes are dual-task mobility and cognitive performance during walking, quantified using dual-task cost (DTC) for gait speed and cognitive-task performance during dual-task walking (e.g., Serial 7s; Shopping List Recall). Secondary outcomes include balance/mobility, community participation, mood/sleep measures, and fall incidence. To explore mechanisms, prefrontal cortex activity during single- and dual-task walking will be recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and mediation analyses will examine whether changes in PFC activity explain intervention effects.
Official title: Effects of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex rTMS Primed Dual-Task Gait Training on Walking and Cognitive Outcomes After Stroke: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
50 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
184
Start Date
2026-01-21
Completion Date
2029-01
Last Updated
2026-02-06
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
active rTMS with dual-task training
Participants will receive active rTMS targeting the DLPFC of the affected hemisphere before each training session: 5 Hz, 90% resting motor threshold (RMT), 10-second trains with 30-second inter-train intervals, total 1,200 pulses (≈ 16 minutes) per session. Dual-task gait training will start within \~10 minutes after rTMS. The program includes 12 sessions over 3 weeks.
sham rTMS with dual-task training
Participants will receive sham rTMS delivered using the placebo side of the same coil at the same DLPFC target location and with identical session duration and procedures (≈ 16 minutes) before each training session. Dual-task gait training will start within \~10 minutes after sham stimulation. The program includes 12 sessions over 3 weeks.
Locations (1)
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong, HongKong, Hong Kong