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The effect of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation to improve standing balance performance early post-stroke, study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.
- Source :
-
International Journal of Stroke . Aug2019, Vol. 14 Issue 6, p650-657. 8p. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Rationale: Restoration of adequate standing balance after stroke is of major importance for functional recovery. POstural feedback ThErapy combined with Non-invasive TranscranIAL direct current stimulation (tDCS) in patients with stroke (POTENTIAL) aims to establish if cerebellar tDCS has added value in improving standing balance performance early post-stroke. Methods: Forty-six patients with a first-ever ischemic stroke will be enrolled in this double-blind controlled trial within five weeks post-stroke. All patients will receive 15 sessions of virtual reality-based postural feedback training (VR-PFT) in addition to usual care. VR-PFT will be given five days per week for 1 h, starting within five weeks post-stroke. During VR-PFT, 23 patients will receive 25 min of cerebellar anodal tDCS (cb_tDCS), and 23 patients will receive sham stimulation. Study outcome: Clinical, posturographic, and neurophysiological measurements will be performed at baseline, directly post-intervention, two weeks post-intervention and at 15 weeks post-stroke. The primary outcome measure will be the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for which a clinical meaningful difference of six points needs to be established between the intervention and control group at 15 weeks post-stroke. Discussion: POTENTIAL will be the first proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of VR-PFT combined with cerebellar tDCS in terms of standing balance performance in patients early post-stroke. Due to the combined clinical, posturographical and neurophysiological measurements, this trial may give more insights in underlying post-stroke recovery processes and whether these can be influenced by tDCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17474930
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- International Journal of Stroke
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 138439654
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1747493019830312