Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of combination cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and virtual reality (VR) therapy for upper extremity (UE) training in patients with subacute stroke.
DESIGN
Pilot randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: group A received cathodal tDCS, group B received VR, and group C received combination therapy (cathodal tDCS was simultaneously applied during VR therapy).
SETTING
University hospital.
PARTICIPANTS
Patients (N=59) with impaired unilateral UE motor function after stroke.
INTERVENTION
Fifteen sessions of treatment over a 3-week period.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The Modified Ashworth Scale, manual muscle test (MMT), Manual Function Test (MFT), Fugl-Meyer Scale (FMS), and Box and Block Test were used to assess UE function. To evaluate activities of daily living, the Korean-Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) was used. All outcomes were measured before and immediately after treatment.
RESULTS
After treatment, all groups demonstrated significant improvements in MMT, MFT, FMS, and K-MBI scores. The change in MFT and FMS scores was different between the 3 groups. Post hoc analysis revealed that the improvement of MFT and FMS scores in group C was significantly higher than those of the other 2 groups.
CONCLUSIONS
In the present pilot study, the combination of brain stimulation using tDCS and peripheral arm training using VR could facilitate a stronger beneficial effect on UE impairment than using each intervention alone. This combination therapy might be a helpful method to enhance recovery of the paretic UE in patients with stroke.
TY - JOUR
T1 - Combination transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality therapy for upper extremity training in patients with subacute stroke.
AU - Lee,Sook Joung,
AU - Chun,Min Ho,
Y1 - 2013/11/14/
PY - 2013/08/16/received
PY - 2013/10/22/revised
PY - 2013/10/28/accepted
PY - 2013/11/19/entrez
PY - 2013/11/19/pubmed
PY - 2014/4/22/medline
KW - Combined modality therapy
KW - Rehabilitation
KW - Stroke
KW - Virtual reality exposure therapy
SP - 431
EP - 8
JF - Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
JO - Arch Phys Med Rehabil
VL - 95
IS - 3
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combination cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and virtual reality (VR) therapy for upper extremity (UE) training in patients with subacute stroke. DESIGN: Pilot randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: group A received cathodal tDCS, group B received VR, and group C received combination therapy (cathodal tDCS was simultaneously applied during VR therapy). SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=59) with impaired unilateral UE motor function after stroke. INTERVENTION: Fifteen sessions of treatment over a 3-week period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Modified Ashworth Scale, manual muscle test (MMT), Manual Function Test (MFT), Fugl-Meyer Scale (FMS), and Box and Block Test were used to assess UE function. To evaluate activities of daily living, the Korean-Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) was used. All outcomes were measured before and immediately after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, all groups demonstrated significant improvements in MMT, MFT, FMS, and K-MBI scores. The change in MFT and FMS scores was different between the 3 groups. Post hoc analysis revealed that the improvement of MFT and FMS scores in group C was significantly higher than those of the other 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In the present pilot study, the combination of brain stimulation using tDCS and peripheral arm training using VR could facilitate a stronger beneficial effect on UE impairment than using each intervention alone. This combination therapy might be a helpful method to enhance recovery of the paretic UE in patients with stroke.
SN - 1532-821X
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/24239790/Combination_transcranial_direct_current_stimulation_and_virtual_reality_therapy_for_upper_extremity_training_in_patients_with_subacute_stroke_
L2 - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003-9993(13)01130-1
DB - PRIME
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
