Study on Placebo Effects in Stroke Recovery
This study is looking at how the 'placebo effect' (when a treatment works because you believe it will, even if it's inactive) impacts stroke recovery. It's testing different ways of giving placebos, including an 'open placebo' (where you know you're getting an inactive pill) and 'sham rTMS' (a fake brain stimulation treatment). Researchers want to see if these placebos create specific brain changes that could help improve stroke rehabilitation. You might be able to join if you are an adult (18 or older) with weakness on one side of your body (hemiparesis) due to a stroke that happened at least 6 months ago, and meet certain movement ability scores. The main goal is to measure brain activity using an electroencephalogram (EEG) to see changes in brain waves after two weeks of intervention.
- Study design
- This interventional study plans to enroll 56 participants with chronic stroke. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: open placebo, sham rTMS, no intervention, or active rTMS.
- What's involved
- If you participate, you will have daily intervention visits for two weeks, totaling 10 sessions. Each session will last 20 minutes.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- The primary endpoint measures changes from baseline to 2 weeks, indicating a follow-up period of at least two weeks.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
Mechanisms of Open and Hidden Placebo in Stroke Recovery
At a glance
Conditions
NCT05832567
Where you'd take part
This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.
Spaulding Hospital Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusettsstudy coordinator listed
Recruiting
Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.
Study leadership
- Felipe Fregni, MD, PhD, MPH · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Who to contact
Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.
What this trial measures
- Electroencephalography (EEG): Frontal alpha asymmetryChange from 2 weeks to baseline
The FAA score will be calculated by subtracting the natural log-transformed alpha power in the left frontal region (F3, F7, Fp1) from the natural log-transformed power in the right frontal region (F4, F8, Fp2).