Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance the effect of conventional therapies in post-stroke neurorehabilitation. The ability to predict an individual’s potential for tDCS-induced recovery may permit rehabilitation providers to make rational decisions about who will be a good candi...

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Main Authors: Adriana Baltar, Daniele Piscitelli, Déborah Marques, Lívia Shirahige, Kátia Monte-Silva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8859394
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author Adriana Baltar
Daniele Piscitelli
Déborah Marques
Lívia Shirahige
Kátia Monte-Silva
author_facet Adriana Baltar
Daniele Piscitelli
Déborah Marques
Lívia Shirahige
Kátia Monte-Silva
author_sort Adriana Baltar
collection DOAJ
description Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance the effect of conventional therapies in post-stroke neurorehabilitation. The ability to predict an individual’s potential for tDCS-induced recovery may permit rehabilitation providers to make rational decisions about who will be a good candidate for tDCS therapy. We investigated the clinical and biological characteristics which might predict tDCS plus physical therapy effects on upper limb motor recovery in chronic stroke patients. A cohort of 80 chronic stroke individuals underwent ten to fifteen sessions of tDCS plus physical therapy. The sensorimotor function of the upper limb was assessed by means of the upper extremity section of the Fugl-Meyer scale (UE-FM), before and after treatment. A backward stepwise regression was used to assess the effect of age, sex, time since stroke, brain lesion side, and basal level of motor function on UE-FM improvement after treatment. Following the intervention, UE-FM significantly improved (p<0.05), and the magnitude of the change was clinically important (mean 6.2 points, 95% CI: 5.2–7.4). The baseline level of UE-FM was the only significant predictor (R2=0.90, F1,76=682.80, p<0.001) of tDCS response. These findings may help to guide clinical decisions according to the profile of each patient. Future studies should investigate whether stroke severity affects the effectiveness of tDCS combined with physical therapy.
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spelling doaj-art-a98cff1df7eb44a49749915b1a9dde542025-08-20T02:23:06ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432020-01-01202010.1155/2020/88593948859394Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic StrokeAdriana Baltar0Daniele Piscitelli1Déborah Marques2Lívia Shirahige3Kátia Monte-Silva4Applied Neuroscience Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilSchool of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, ItalyApplied Neuroscience Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilApplied Neuroscience Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilApplied Neuroscience Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance the effect of conventional therapies in post-stroke neurorehabilitation. The ability to predict an individual’s potential for tDCS-induced recovery may permit rehabilitation providers to make rational decisions about who will be a good candidate for tDCS therapy. We investigated the clinical and biological characteristics which might predict tDCS plus physical therapy effects on upper limb motor recovery in chronic stroke patients. A cohort of 80 chronic stroke individuals underwent ten to fifteen sessions of tDCS plus physical therapy. The sensorimotor function of the upper limb was assessed by means of the upper extremity section of the Fugl-Meyer scale (UE-FM), before and after treatment. A backward stepwise regression was used to assess the effect of age, sex, time since stroke, brain lesion side, and basal level of motor function on UE-FM improvement after treatment. Following the intervention, UE-FM significantly improved (p<0.05), and the magnitude of the change was clinically important (mean 6.2 points, 95% CI: 5.2–7.4). The baseline level of UE-FM was the only significant predictor (R2=0.90, F1,76=682.80, p<0.001) of tDCS response. These findings may help to guide clinical decisions according to the profile of each patient. Future studies should investigate whether stroke severity affects the effectiveness of tDCS combined with physical therapy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8859394
spellingShingle Adriana Baltar
Daniele Piscitelli
Déborah Marques
Lívia Shirahige
Kátia Monte-Silva
Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke
Neural Plasticity
title Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke
title_full Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke
title_fullStr Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke
title_full_unstemmed Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke
title_short Baseline Motor Impairment Predicts Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Physical Therapy-Induced Improvement in Individuals with Chronic Stroke
title_sort baseline motor impairment predicts transcranial direct current stimulation combined with physical therapy induced improvement in individuals with chronic stroke
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8859394
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