Previous research that utilises single sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have demonstrated functional improvements. However these improvements are usually short-lived, lasting less than one hour before the patient's performance returns to baseline. In these studies, tDCS is typically applied with the goal of adaptively enhancing functional activation of pathologically under-active tissue or suppressing pathologically over-active tissue. Interestingly, a small body of evidence is now emerging to indicate that tDCS can improve learning/memory functions in healthy controls. The goal of this study is to test if the application of tDCS could enhance learning and/or memory for physiotherapy rehabilitation, which may in turn lead to correspondingly greater motor improvement. Patients at a subacute stage (1 to 6 month post stroke) will attend for 10 consecutive daily sessions of tDCS. This research has important implications; previous studies suggest that such an approach has the potential to facilitate physical rehabilitation post-stroke and establish tDCS as a clinically viable rehabilitative tool. Recovery of motor skills may take many months to acquire and therefore strategies that have the potential to enhance acquisition of skill are of practical and scientific interest.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
10
tDCS applied to the motor cortex every day of two consecutive weeks (10 sessions) at 1 mA during 20 minutes. Conductive rubber covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased over 100 seconds.
Participants will receive sham tDCS over the primary motor cortex of the ipsilesional hemisphere during 20 minutes of motor training (10 consecutive sessions Monday-Friday during two weeks).
Centre de Lay-Saint-Christophe-Institut Régional de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation
Lay-Saint-Christophe, France
Hospices Civils de Lyon- Hôpital Henry Gabrielle-Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation
Saint-Genis-Laval, France
Fugl Meyer Assessment (Upper extremity) of motor recovery following stroke
Main primary outcome is change in score between the baseline session score and day 32.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
Functional independence scale (MIF)
We are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score, and those collected during each follow-up session.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
Motor Activity Log (MAL)
We are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score, and those collected during each follow-up session.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
Jebsen Taylor Hand function test (JTT)
We are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score, and those collected during each follow-up session.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
Box and block test (BBT)
We are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score, and those collected during each follow-up session.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
Modified Ashworth Scale
We are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score, and those collected during each follow-up session.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
Testing motor MRC
We are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score, and those collected during each follow-up session.
Time frame: assessed at one baseline session (day 4), and then again immediately following the last day of the intervention (day 18), 2 weeks (day 32), 1 month, 3 months and 6 months later.
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