Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is collaborating with the University of Sheffield to conduct a groundbreaking trial on nerve stimulation therapy for stroke recovery.
The trial, known as TRICEPS, aims to determine the effectiveness of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in improving hand and arm weakness in stroke patients. Unlike previous trials involving invasive implantation of electrical stimulators, this trial will utilize a portable, pace-maker-like device connected to a wired earpiece. The device will deliver electrical pulses to the brain, providing a non-invasive and self-delivered treatment during stroke rehabilitation therapy.
Professor Arshad Majid, consultant neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and chief investigator of the trial, expressed excitement about the potential of this new therapy. He emphasized the goal of establishing whether transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation can be an effective at-home rehabilitative therapy for stroke survivors.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Medical Research Council, and the Association of British Neurologists Fellowship, the trial will enroll up to 243 patients from 15 UK stroke centers. Participants will be required to wear the device for an hour, five times a week, while completing their stroke rehabilitation exercises at home.
The success of this trial could lead to the widespread adoption of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation as a standard treatment for stroke recovery. The potential implications of this research are significant, as it could offer hope to stroke survivors in accessing innovative and effective therapies for long-term recovery.
