Transcranial direct current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves dual-task performance in people with stroke.
Siyue Li, Peiming Chen, Yu Qin and 2 others
PMID 41943073WHAT IT FOUND
A single session of brain stimulation improved walking speed and thinking accuracy during complex dual tasks, but did not significantly reduce the interference between them.
The benefit was strongest on cognitive tasks like serial subtraction, not on gait stability.
Key findings
01Active tDCS significantly improved gait speed and stride length during cognitive dual-tasks like Word Association and Counting Forward compared to sham.
02Cognitive response rates improved significantly during dual-tasks, particularly in Random Number, Counting Forward, and Serial Subtraction tasks.
03Despite improvements in performance, the dual-task cost (interference) for mobility did not change significantly, and only the Serial Subtraction task showed a significant reduction in cognitive dual-task cost.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a single session of tDCS, so it is unknown if these effects would last or accumulate with repeated treatment. Participants were relatively high-functioning (MoCA ≥ 22, independent walkers), so results may not apply to those with severe cognitive or motor impairments. The sample size was calculated based on a previous study with different outcomes, which may have affected the power to detect changes in dual-task costs. No follow-up assessments were conducted to determine the duration of the effects.
Declared interests
Funded by the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improved walking speed and cognitive accuracy mean the dual-task interference itself was reduced. The study found that while performance improved, the 'cost' of doing both tasks at once did not significantly decrease for most measures, meaning the underlying conflict between motor and cognitive demands may remain.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →