Article

BTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhances treatment
outcomes post-stroke. Feasibility and tolerability of high-definition (HD) tDCS
(a technique that increases current focality and intensity) for consecutive
weekdays as an adjuvant to behavioral treatment in a clinical population has not
been demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: To determine HD-tDCS feasibility outcomes: 1)
ability to implement study as designed, 2) acceptability of repeated HD-tDCS
administration to patients, and 3) preliminary efficacy.
METHODS: Eight patients
with chronic post-stroke aphasia participated in a randomized crossover trial
with two arms: conventional sponge-based (CS) tDCS and HD-tDCS. Computerized
anomia treatment was administered for five consecutive days during each treatment
arm. RESULTS: Individualized modeling/targeting procedures and an 8-channel
HD-tDCS device were developed. CS-tDCS and HD-tDCS were comparable in terms of
implementation, acceptability, and outcomes. Naming accuracy and response time
improved for both stimulation conditions. Change in accuracy of trained items was
numerically higher (but not statistically significant) for HD-tDCS compared to
CS-tDCS for most patients. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding feasibility, HD-tDCS treatment
studies can be implemented when designed similarly to documented CS-tDCS studies.
HD-tDCS is likely to be acceptable to patients and clinicians. Preliminary
efficacy data suggest that HD-tDCS effects, using only 4 electrodes, are at least
comparable to CS-tDCS.

Langue : ANGLAIS