Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Followed by Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Walking and Cortical Activity in Chronic Stroke: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

The study included only people who could walk at least 10 m without walking aids and had Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 24 or higher, so it does not show what happens in patients with more severe walking or cognitive impairment. Outcomes were measured only before and after the 12 sessions, so it is unknown whether the gains lasted. Brain activity was measured only in the contralesional hemisphere, not the lesional hemisphere, so the study does not explain interactions between both hemispheres. The study tested tDCS before treadmill training only; it does not show whether tDCS given at the same time as or after treadmill training has the same effect. Each group had only 15 participants, and the paper does not report how many participants had missing post-test data or dropped out.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that cathodal tDCS alone improves walking. All groups received treadmill training, and the advantage was for cathodal tDCS added before treadmill training. The study also did not measure follow-up, so it does not show whether gains last.