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Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over right posterior parietal cortex was shown to induce interference on visuospatial perception in healthy subjects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is another noninvasive brain stimulation technique that works modulating cortical activity. It is applied through easy to use, noncostly, and portable devices. Objective/Hypothesis: The aim of the current study was to investigate if the novel approach of “dual” stimulation over parietal cortices compared with the unilateral (right) cathodal one is able to induce greater and/or longer-lasting neglect-like effects in normal subjects performing a computerized visuospatial task. Methods: Eleven healthy subjects underwent a computerized visuospatial task requiring judgments about the symmetry of prebisected lines in baseline condition, during and after tDCS. Right cathodal and left anodal tDCS were simultaneously applied over homologue posterior parietal cortices in the “dual” approach, whereas right cathodal tDCS was used in the traditional unihemisphere stimulation. Results: A significant rightward bias in symmetry judgments as compared with baseline and sham conditions was observed in both the stimulation approaches. With “dual” tDCS compared with cathodal stimulation the effect was stronger and appeared earlier, but no longer-lasting after effects were found. Conclusions: We speculate that the resulting modulation of interhemispheric inhibition mediated the additional rightward bias in task performance for “dual” hemisphere compared with unihemisphere tDCS. If “dual” tDCS may better reproduce mechanisms underlying real lesions, it could provide a more suitable model for rehabilitation of negligent patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the validity of measuring changes of sub bandage pressure and leg circumference in different body positions for an in vivo characterization of the elastic properties of bandage systems. Design: Experimental study. Materials and methods: Different compression bandages were applied on the leg. The variations of interface pressure and leg circumference above the inner ankle (that depends on the elastic property of the bandage) were measured simultaneously by a pressure transducer and by strain-gauge plethysmography in 50 patients. Stiffness is defined as the increase of pressure per increase of circumference. Results: The most consistent parameter to differentiate elastic from inelastic bandages was the pressure-difference between the standing and the lying position corrected for the actual increase of leg circumference (modified static stiffness index, mSSI; sensitivity and specificity 100%). Neglecting the individual changes of the circumference and considering the pressure difference alone allows a differentiation which is slightly less accurate (sensitivity 100%, specificity 88%) but much simpler to use. Conclusions: The static stiffness index is a useful tool to differentiate elastic from inelastic bandage material even without correction for the individual increase of leg circumference. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]