Effects of anodal tDCS on resting state eeg power and motor function in acute stroke: a randomized controlled trial.
O Vimolratana, B Aneksan, V Siripornpanich and 6 others
PMID 38172973WHAT IT FOUND
Adding anodal tDCS to physical therapy improved lower-limb function in acute stroke patients with mild impairment, but did not improve upper-limb function or change brain activity compared to sham.
The benefit was seen immediately and lasted one month.
Key findings
01Anodal tDCS combined with physical therapy resulted in greater improvement in lower-limb motor function compared to sham in participants with low motor impairment.
02There was no significant difference between anodal and sham tDCS in upper-limb motor outcomes or in resting-state EEG power (alpha and beta bands).
03Increased beta-band activity in the lesioned hemisphere was associated with improved lower-limb function in the low-impairment group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was underpowered for subgroup analyses, with only 6–9 participants in each impairment group. Blinding may have been compromised because the active group experienced significantly more tingling and itching than the sham group, and blinding effectiveness was not formally assessed. The follow-up period was short (1 month), missing the peak recovery window of 3–6 months. There was a baseline age difference between groups (anodal mean 52.5 years vs. sham 62.3 years), although age did not statistically influence outcomes. The Wolf Motor Function Test was truncated at 120 seconds, which may have limited sensitivity for participants with high impairment who could not complete tasks within that time.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Research Council of Thailand and Thailand Science Research and Innovation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that anodal tDCS improves overall motor recovery or upper-limb function. The benefit was restricted to lower-limb performance in a specific subgroup of patients with mild impairment, while the primary outcomes for brain activity and upper-limb function were null.