Abstract
Objective: To explore the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation followed by treadmill training on dual-task gait performance and contralesional cortical activity in chronic stroke patients. Methods: Forty-five chronic stroke participants were randomized into 3 groups: a bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training group; a cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training group; and a sham transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training group for 50 min per session (20 min transcranial direct current stimulation followed by 30 min treadmill training), 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures included cognitive dual-task walking, motor dual-task walking, walking performance, contralesional cortical activity, and lower-extremity motor control. Results: The cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation+treadmill training group showed significantly greater improvements in cognitive dual-task walking speed than the other groups (pcathodalvssham=0.006, pcathodalvsbilateral=0.016). In the cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation+treadmill training group the silent period duration increased significantly more than in the other groups (p<0.05). Changes in motor evoked potentials in the cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation+treadmill training group were greater than those in the sham transcranial direct current stimulation+treadmill training group (p<0.05). No significant changes were observed in the bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation+treadmill training group. Conclusion: Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation followed by treadmill training is an effective intervention for improving cognitive dual-task walking and modulating contralesional cortical activity in chronic stroke. No beneficial effects were observed after bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training.
Original language | English |
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Article number | jrm00379 |
Journal | Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine |
Volume | 55 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2023 |
Keywords
- chronic stroke
- contralesional cortical activity
- dual-task walking
- rehabilitation
- transcranial direct current stimulation
- treadmill training