An interventional study of Active Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy, sponsored by Riphah International University. Recruiting at 2 sites in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 8 Years to 16 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-23.
Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 134 studies in Cerebral Palsy by Riphah International University — 37 open to participants now, 37 under way, none of them phase 3. Cerebral Palsy · Riphah International University.
Among the 134 studies in Cerebral Palsy by Riphah International University, this one is the 31st largest by planned enrollment of the 124 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 17 that started in 2026, is one of 124 with no phase, reaches primary completion later than 26 of the 36 other live ones, and was the 126th registered.
1,936 studies on the registry are indexed under Cerebral Palsy; 458 are open to participants now.
Browse Cerebral Palsy studies →37 of the 134 studies in Cerebral Palsy by Riphah International University are open now, in 1 country. Recruiting first, the newest first:
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
By country, each count listing its studies:
Of the 270 Cerebral Palsy studies recruiting now, 27 (10%) set no upper age limit and 235 (87%) stop at 75 or younger; 255 take children under 18; 51 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 8 Years to 16 Years · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
134 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2018; this study’s year is marked. 17 started in 2026.
This study's planned enrollment of 42 is above the median of 34 across 1,431 interventional studies indexed under Cerebral Palsy.
Median enrollment 30 across the 124 interventional studies, 108 across the 10 observational. Of the 88 that completed or were terminated, 0 (0%) have results posted.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.
8 of the studies in Cerebral Palsy by Riphah International University that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 0 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT07921186Riphah International UniversityComparison of Vestibular Stimulation and Core Stability Training on Sitting Balance in Hypotonic CP | 2027-03 |
| NCT07733570Riphah International UniversityEffects of Sensory Integration Therapy in Children With Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy | 2027-03-22 |
| NCT07921069Riphah International UniversitySensory Integration Therapy vs Conventional Physical Therapy in Children With Mixed Cerebral Palsy | 2027-04 |
| NCT07921147Riphah International UniversityTelerehabilitation Compared With Clinic-Based Physiotherapy in Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy | 2027-04-05 |
| NCT07920965Riphah International UniversityVideo-based Visual Feedback Combined With Task-oriented Physiotherapy Among Cerebral Palsy | 2027-06 |
Among the 134 studies in Cerebral Palsy by Riphah International University, from their registry updates:
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
Cerebral palsy can affect walking ability, muscle control, functional mobility, and psychosocial well-being in children. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that may support motor learning, while virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation provides interactive, repetitive, and task-specific motor training.
This randomized controlled trial will investigate whether active tDCS combined with VR rehabilitation provides additional benefits compared with sham tDCS combined with the same VR rehabilitation and conventional physical therapy in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
A total of 42 children aged 8 to 16 years with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three groups: active tDCS plus VR, sham tDCS plus VR, or conventional physical therapy. Each group will receive 18 treatment sessions over six weeks, with three sessions per week.
Outcomes will be assessed before treatment, after nine sessions, and after 18 sessions. The primary outcomes will be gait performance measured using the 10-Meter Walk Test and self-esteem measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Secondary outcomes will evaluate spasticity, gross motor function, functional mobility, and functional independence.
This study is a three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation in children with spastic cerebral palsy. The study will compare active tDCS plus VR with sham tDCS plus an identical VR protocol and with conventional physical therapy.
Forty-two children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, aged 8-16 years and classified within Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III, will be enrolled. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio, with 14 participants assigned to each treatment group. Outcome assessment will be performed by an assessor blinded to treatment allocation.
Participants in all three groups will complete 18 treatment sessions over six weeks at a frequency of three sessions per week. The active tDCS plus VR group will receive low-intensity tDCS at 1 mA for 20 minutes per session in combination with a structured VR-based rehabilitation programme. The VR programme will include progressively challenging activities directed toward postural control, balance, coordination, gait-related activity, and cognitive-motor integration.
Participants in the sham tDCS plus VR group will undergo the same electrode setup and VR rehabilitation programme. Sham stimulation will be delivered briefly at the beginning of the session to reproduce the initial sensations of stimulation without providing continued active cortical stimulation. Participants allocated to conventional physical therapy will receive a structured rehabilitation programme incorporating stretching, lower-limb strengthening, balance training, gait training, functional mobility exercises, and progressive task-specific practice.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline before the intervention (S0), after nine treatment sessions at the midpoint of the programme (S9), and following completion of 18 treatment sessions (S18).
The co-primary outcomes will be gait performance, assessed using the 10-Meter Walk Test, and self-esteem, assessed using the child version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Secondary outcome domains will include spasticity assessed using the Modified Tardieu Scale, gross motor function assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88, functional mobility assessed using the Functional Mobility Scale, and functional independence assessed using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT).
The study is intended to determine whether active tDCS provides an additional therapeutic effect when combined with VR rehabilitation beyond the effects associated with VR training and sham stimulation, while also comparing the technology-assisted intervention with conventional physical therapy.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Able to understand and follow verbal instructions. Parent or guardian provides and the child provides assent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Current use of antispasticity medication that could directly influence spasticity outcomes.
Botulinum toxin injection within the previous 3 months. Recent orthopedic surgery or change in medication regimen within the previous 5 days.
Concurrent participation in alternative or adjunct therapies outside the study protocol.
Refusal to participate or withdrawal of consent/assent.
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive active transcranial direct current stimulation at 1 mA for 20 minutes combined with virtual reality rehabilitation, three sessions per week for six weeks, for a total of 18 sessions.
Device: Active Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation · Behavioral: Virtual Reality Rehabilitation
Participants will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation using the same electrode setup, with brief initial stimulation to mimic active tDCS, combined with the same virtual reality rehabilitation protocol, three sessions per week for six weeks.
Device: Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation · Behavioral: Virtual Reality Rehabilitation
Participants will receive conventional physical therapy including stretching, strengthening, balance training, gait training, and functional mobility exercises, three sessions per week for six weeks.
Behavioral: Conventional Physical Therapy
Active transcranial direct current stimulation will be delivered using saline-soaked sponge electrodes at an intensity of 1 mA for 20 minutes per session. Stimulation will be administered three times per week for six weeks, for a total of 18 sessions, concurrently with virtual reality rehabilitation. The stimulation montage will target the lower-limb motor cortical region with a supraorbital reference electrode.
Also known as: Active tDCS
Sham transcranial direct current stimulation will use the same electrode montage and setup as the active condition. Active current will be delivered only during the initial 30 seconds to reproduce the early sensory experience of stimulation, after which stimulation will be discontinued while the electrodes remain in place. Sham tDCS will be combined with the same virtual reality rehabilitation protocol as the active tDCS group.
Also known as: Sham tDCS
Virtual reality rehabilitation will be delivered using a Microsoft Xbox console with Kinect motion tracking. The program will include progressive whole-body, balance, gait-related, coordination, navigation, and dual-task activities using Kinect Adventures. Training will progress through familiarization, cognitive-motor integration, and challenge/functional integration phases over six weeks. VR will be provided in both the active and sham tDCS groups for 18 sessions.
Also known as: Xbox Kinect-Based Virtual Reality Therapy
Conventional physical therapy will be delivered for 30 minutes per session, three sessions per week for six weeks, for a total of 18 sessions. Treatment will progress from lower-limb stretching, supported balance and weight shifting to strengthening, motor-control exercises, gait initiation, overground gait training, obstacle negotiation, and functional mobility activities. Exercise difficulty and therapist support will be progressed according to participant tolerance and functional ability.
Also known as: CPT
10-Meter Walk Test Self-Selected Walking Velocity
Gait performance will be assessed using the 10-Meter Walk Test at a self-selected walking pace. Walking velocity will be expressed in meters per second (m/s), with higher values indicating faster walking performance. The measure will be collected at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Child Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Total Score
Global self-esteem will be assessed using the Child Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The scale contains 10 items and produces a total score ranging from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater self-esteem. The total score will be assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Modified Tardieu Scale
Spasticity will be assessed using the Modified Tardieu Scale in the clinically affected lower-limb muscle groups. The assessment will include the quality of muscle reaction and the angles of muscle reaction (R1) and passive range of motion (R2). The dynamic component of spasticity will be calculated as R2 minus R1, expressed in degrees.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
GMFM-88
Gross motor function will be assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88). The instrument evaluates five dimensions: lying and rolling, sitting, crawling and kneeling, standing, and walking/running/jumping. Dimension and total scores will be expressed as percentages, with higher scores indicating better gross motor function.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Functional Mobility Scale - 5 m, 50 m, and 500 m
Functional mobility will be assessed using the Functional Mobility Scale at 5-meter, 50-meter, and 500-meter distances, representing mobility in home, school, and community environments. Each distance is rated on a 1-to-6 scale according to the level of assistance or mobility device required, with higher scores indicating greater functional mobility.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test Daily Activities Domain Scaled Score
Functional performance in daily activities will be assessed using the Daily Activities domain of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT). The domain is reported as a scaled score ranging from 20 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater functional ability in daily activities and therefore a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test Mobility Domain Scaled Score
Functional mobility will be assessed using the Mobility domain of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT). Scaled scores range from 20 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater mobility-related functional ability and therefore a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test Social/Cognitive Domain Scaled Score
Social and cognitive functional performance will be assessed using the Social/Cognitive domain of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT). Scaled scores range from 20 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater social/cognitive functional ability and therefore a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test Responsibility Domain Scaled Score
Functional responsibility will be assessed using the Responsibility domain of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT). Scaled scores range from 20 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater functional responsibility and independence and therefore a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), after 9 treatment sessions (approximately Week 3), and after 18 treatment sessions (approximately Week 6)
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared publicly because the study involves a pediatric clinical population and the consent and ethical approval were not designed for unrestricted external sharing of participant-level data. Aggregate and de-identified study results will be reported in the thesis and subsequent publications.
Started Sep 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2026, 1 month after the start.
Of 902 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Cerebral Palsy, half reached primary completion within 12 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 31. This study's planned 1 month is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 921 studies reached it within 12 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 31.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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