Personalised functional imaging-guided multitarget continuous theta burst stimulation for post-stroke aphasia: study...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), shows promise for post-stroke aphasia (PSA).
• Existing studies primarily focus on single-target rTMS, leaving the potential of multitarget stimulation unexplored.
• A need exists for trials evaluating multitarget brain stimulation for PSA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cTBS targeting multiple critical nodes in the language network for PSA.
• To compare personalized multitarget cTBS with sham stimulation in PSA patients.
• To assess the impact of cTBS on language function and quality of life in individuals with aphasia.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, multicentre, double-blind, sham-controlled randomized trial involving 60 participants.
• Participants randomly assigned to active or sham cTBS, receiving a 3-week intervention targeting personalized language networks.
• Precision resting-state functional MRI used to map individual language networks and identify stimulation targets.

Main Results:

• Primary outcome: change in Western Aphasia Battery-Revised aphasia quotient score after 3 weeks.
• Secondary outcomes: Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination severity, Token Test, and Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale scores.
• Data collection and analysis are ongoing; results will be reported upon completion.

Conclusions:

• This study will provide crucial insights into the effectiveness of personalized multitarget cTBS for treating post-stroke aphasia.
• Findings may inform future therapeutic strategies for neurological communication disorders.
• The trial adheres to ethical guidelines and will disseminate results through peer-reviewed publications.