NCT02325427.

Trial name or title	Changes in cortical excitability associated with upper limb motor recovery ‐ a study of neural strategies employed in motor recovery
Methods	RCT with parallel‐group design
Participants	Estimated enrolment: 119 Inclusion criteria: age 21 to 80 years; first‐ever hemiplegic stroke < 2 weeks prior to study enrolment; UE‐FM between 0 and 45; MMSE ≥ 24; ability to provide informed consent Exclusion criteria: pregnancy; cardiac pacemakers; metal implants; history of epilepsy; sensorimotor impairments due to other causes than stroke; uncontrolled medical conditions; diabetes mellitus and unstable angina; major depression and history of psychotic disorders
Interventions	3 arms A‐tDCS with the anode placed over the cortical representation of the hand of M1 of the affected hemisphere (1 mA for 20 minutes) Sham tDCS with the anode placed over the cortical representation of the hand of M1 of the affected hemisphere (1 mA for 20 minutes) No intervention
Outcomes	Primary outcome measure Cortical excitability (up to 6 months poststroke) Secondary outcome measures MAS (at 5 to 14 days, 4 to 6 weeks and 6 months poststroke) Manual muscle testing (at 5 to 14 days, 4 to 6 weeks and 6 months poststroke) BBT (at 5 to 14 days, 4 to 6 weeks and 6 months poststroke) UE‐FM (at 5 to 14 days, 4 to 6 weeks and 6 months poststroke)
Starting date	November 2014
Contact information	Effie Chew, MD National University Hospital Singapore, Singapore, 119074
Notes