Transcranial direct current stimulation for motor recovery of upper limb function after stroke

Transcranial direct current stimulation facilitates motor learning post-stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…On the other hand, long-term effects of tDCS protocols on chronic stroke are robust (ES=0.64; 95% CI 0.44 to 0.85; I 2 =0.00%). Positive effects of tDCS on chronic patients are consistent with two previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses in that significant motor improvements post-tDCS interventions are most evident in the chronic stage of recovery 7 9. Based on the interhemispheric competition model, 16 qualified studies (except for Wu et al 30) used anodal stimulation on the ipsilesional hemisphere, cathodal stimulation on the contralesional hemisphere or bilateral stimulation across a range of stroke participants who may have differed in terms of impairment severity, lesion location (eg, cortical and subcortical) or recovery stage (eg, acute, subacute and chronic).…”

“…Indeed, long-term motor learning effects of tDCS are still debateable for the lower extremities as well as the acute recovery stage 7 50. Conducting more long-term follow-up testing for both conditions may consolidate rehabilitative effects of tDCS interventions.…”

“…Indeed, the evidence from a systematic review that tDCS transiently improves motor performance post-stroke7 is unclear and whether long-term improvements in recovered movements are sustained is seldom discussed 7 8. Two recent meta-analyses that did examine long-term motor learning after tDCS were unable to resolve the controversy perhaps because of the excessive heterogeneity in the few studies analysed and the potential confound by comparing studies that provided tDCS before motor training to studies that stimulated during motor training 9 10.…”

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Improves Paretic Limb Force Production: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Although several previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses reported positive effects of NIBS techniques on motor functions for the chronic stage post stroke [27,68], our findings indicate that tDCS and/or rTMS improved muscle strength in paretic limbs in each of the three recovery stages. One possible interpretation of these findings indicates that the positive effect of NIBS techniques on stroke motor rehabilitation may occur for individuals at the two initial recovery phases (i.e., acute and subacute) post stroke as well as the chronic stage.…”

Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on post-stroke dysphagia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Caution must be taken before jumping to conclusions, however, because multiple syntheses of these data have yielded non-significant results, although they trend in a positive direction (Ludemann-Podubecka et al, 2014; Marquez et al, 2013; Bastani and Jaberzadeh, 2012). …”