Association of transcranial direct current stimulation with multilevel reading therapy for rehabilitation in Developmental Dyslexia: protocol of procedures and clinical trial, controlled, randomized and double-blind

• Grant number: 22/15915-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Clara Regina Brandão de Avila
• Grantee: Clara Regina Brandão de Avila
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Isabela Ciola de Castro ; Vania Lucia Costa de Carvalho Lima

Abstract

Neuromodulatory techniques for use in the rehabilitation of developmental changes in the speech therapy field are currently the subject of research. However, there is a gap in the parameterization of protocols in the area that allows the emergence of larger clinical trials. This project aims to parameterize the application of neuromodulatory techniques in association with speech therapy. For this purpose, a protocol for the association of neuromodulatory techniques will be elaborated, which will be tested in a clinical, randomized, controlled and double-blind trial associating transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with Multilevel Reading Therapy (MRT) in children diagnosed with reading, which will follow the following steps: (1) Elaboration of a clinical trial protocol with the association of neuromodulatory techniques in neureabilitation in the speech therapy field, (2) Theoretical and practical neurophysiological mapping of the reading routes; (3) Execution of the pilot project; (4) Phase I of the clinical trial with testing on a local sample; (5) Phase II of the clinical trial with the largest sample size and the possibility of a multicenter partnership. The expected result for this research project is a theoretical and practical model of Clinical Trial of the association of tDCS and MRT for better treatment of Reading Disorders. It is hoped that this study model can be reproduced in other speech pathologies. (AU)