This clinical study is aimed at investigating the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on COVID-19 patients not admitted to the intensive care unit. The tDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique which applies a low intensity electrical current in order to modulate neuronal activity. Patients included will be submitted to a single session with active or sham tDCS, aiming to modulate prefrontal or supplementary motor area (SMA). Evaluation protocol will be performed before and after stimulation to verify the incidence of adverse events related to treatment and whether tDCS would affect measures of executive functioning, mood, anxiety, autonomic response and motor function in COVID-19 patients. We hypothesize the neuromodulation would be a safety, promising treatment to reduce possible impairments in COVID-19 patients.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
60
A single tDCS session will be delivered to the supplementary motor area (SMA) by a DC stimulator (NeuroConn, Germany). During stimulation, a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (surface 35 cm²) will be used, with one electrode (anode) placed 1,8 cm forward Cz and the other electrode (cathode) over the right supraorbital region, according to the International 10-20 EEG system. Current intensity will be ramp up for 30 seconds until reaches 2 mA, and after 30 minutes current intensity will be ramp down for 30 seconds.
A single tDCS session will be applied bilaterally over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) by a DC stimulator (NeuroConn, Germany). During stimulation, a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (surface 35 cm²) will be placed over F3 (anode) and F4 (cathode), according to the International 10-20 EEG system. Current intensity will be ramp up for 30 seconds until reaches 2 mA, and after 30 minutes current intensity will be ramp down for 30 seconds.
A single Sham-tDCS session will be applied bilaterally over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) or over the supplementary motor area (SMA) by a DC stimulator (NeuroConn, Germany). A pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (surface 35 cm²) will be placed according to the International 10-20 EEG system. For SMA , one electrode (anode) will be placed 1,8 cm forward Cz and the other electrode (cathode) over the right supraorbital region. For DLPFC, electrodes will be placed over F3 (anode) and F4 (cathode). Current intensity will be ramp up for 30 seconds until reaches 2 mA, and after 30 seconds current intensity will be ramp down for 15 seconds.
D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Incidence of adverse events related to treatment (safety)
Safety as assessed by incidence of adverse events by type, frequency, severity, and causality
Time frame: post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline autonomic response at the end of the treatment
Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters change from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline Trial Making Test (TMT) score at the end of the treatment
Trial Making Test (TMT) score changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline Digit span score at the end of the treatment
Digit span score changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline balance parameters at the end of the treatment
Balance parameters change from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline gait parameters at the end of the treatment
Gait parameters change from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline Functional Status Score for the intensive care unit (FSS-ICU) at the end of the treatment
Functional Status Score for the intensive care unit (FSS-ICU) changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline Functional Reach Test (FRT) distances at the end of the treatment
Maximum distances reached by subject change from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score at the end of the treatment
Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
Change from baseline Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score at the end of the treatment
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment
Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline), post-treatment (up to one hour after the end of the treatment)
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