TY - JOUR
T1 - High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current with Electrical Theta Burst on Post-Stroke Motor Rehabilitation
T2 - A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Huang, Yi Jing
AU - Wang, Shun Min
AU - Chen, Chieh
AU - Chen, Chien An
AU - Wu, Chun Wei
AU - Chen, Jia Jin
AU - Peng, Chih Wei
AU - Lin, Che Wei
AU - Huang, Shih Wei
AU - Chen, Shih Ching
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST-108-2321-B-038-002 and MOST-109-2321-B-038-002). The Ministry of Science and Technology did not have a role in designing the study or writing the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Background: High-definition transcranial electrical theta burst superimposing direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS-eTBS) not only incorporates the therapeutic advantages of tDCS and TBS but enhances stimulation focality and practicality. However, the applicability of this innovative neuromodulatory device in post-stroke rehabilitation remains uncertain. Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the HD-tDCS-eTBS on upper extremity (UE) motor function in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: A patient-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned into either the active HD-tDCS-eTBS group or sham HD-tDCS-eTBS group. Both groups received 20 minutes of active/sham HD-tDCS-eTBS combined with 30 minutes of conventional UE rehabilitation each time, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures including the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity, Wolf Motor Function Test, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, Finger-Nose Test, and Modified Ashworth Scale were assessed before and immediately after the intervention period. Results: Spasticity of shoulder adductor (P =.05), elbow extensor (P =.04), and thumb flexor (P <.01) were significantly reduced in the active HD-tDCS-eTBS group versus the sham group. Nonsignificant trends in the improvements of most other outcome measures were in favor of the active HD-tDCS-eTBS group with moderate to large effect sizes (P =.06–.26, ηp2 = 0.06–0.16). No severe adverse events except for slight skin redness under the stimulus electrode was detected after the HD-tDCS-eTBS. Conclusions: Our findings support that HD-tDCS-eTBS is safe and has therapeutic potential for post-stroke UE motor rehabilitation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04278105).
AB - Background: High-definition transcranial electrical theta burst superimposing direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS-eTBS) not only incorporates the therapeutic advantages of tDCS and TBS but enhances stimulation focality and practicality. However, the applicability of this innovative neuromodulatory device in post-stroke rehabilitation remains uncertain. Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the HD-tDCS-eTBS on upper extremity (UE) motor function in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: A patient-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned into either the active HD-tDCS-eTBS group or sham HD-tDCS-eTBS group. Both groups received 20 minutes of active/sham HD-tDCS-eTBS combined with 30 minutes of conventional UE rehabilitation each time, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures including the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity, Wolf Motor Function Test, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, Finger-Nose Test, and Modified Ashworth Scale were assessed before and immediately after the intervention period. Results: Spasticity of shoulder adductor (P =.05), elbow extensor (P =.04), and thumb flexor (P <.01) were significantly reduced in the active HD-tDCS-eTBS group versus the sham group. Nonsignificant trends in the improvements of most other outcome measures were in favor of the active HD-tDCS-eTBS group with moderate to large effect sizes (P =.06–.26, ηp2 = 0.06–0.16). No severe adverse events except for slight skin redness under the stimulus electrode was detected after the HD-tDCS-eTBS. Conclusions: Our findings support that HD-tDCS-eTBS is safe and has therapeutic potential for post-stroke UE motor rehabilitation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04278105).
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U2 - 10.1177/15459683221121751
DO - 10.1177/15459683221121751
M3 - Article
C2 - 36047662
AN - SCOPUS:85138309955
SN - 1545-9683
VL - 36
SP - 645
EP - 654
JO - Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair
JF - Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair
IS - 9
ER -