tDCS Combined With Constraint-Induced Therapy in Post-Stroke Upper Limb Rehabilitation

The objective of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with constraint-induced therapy (CIT) on upper limb motor recovery in individuals after stroke. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the combination of tDCS and CIT improve upper limb motor function compared to CIT alone? Does the combined intervention promote changes in muscle morphology and electromyographic activity? Researchers will compare the group receiving tDCS combined with constraint-induced therapy to the group receiving constraint-induced therapy alone to determine whether the addition of cortical neuromodulation enhances motor recovery outcomes. This is a randomized, controlled, and blinded clinical trial in which participants will be divided into two groups: one group will receive tDCS combined with CIMT, and the other will undergo only CIMT. The protocol will include 18 sessions over six weeks, three times a week. Clinical and instrumental assessments will be performed before, during, and after the intervention, including the Fugl-Meyer scale for the upper limb, musculoskeletal ultrasound for morphological analysis, and surface electromyography for muscle activity assessment.

NCT Number	NCT07458503
Lead Sponsor	Universidade do Estado do Pará
Conditions	Stroke, Upper Limb Motor Impairment, Post-Stroke Hemiparesis
Enrollment	40 participants
Start Date	2026-06-15
Primary Completion	2026-12-15 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-04-10 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-08-11