Article

PURPOSE: To investigate the combined effect of transcranial direct current
stimulation (tDCS) and home-based occupational therapy on activities of daily
living (ADL) and grip strength, in patients with upper limb motor impairment
following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS:
A double-blind randomized
controlled trial with one-week follow-up. Patients received five consecutive days
of occupational therapy at home, combined with either anodal
(n = 8) or sham (n =
7) tDCS. The primary outcome was ADL performance, which was assessed with the
Jebsen-Taylor test (JTT). RESULTS: Both groups improved JTT over time (p < 0.01).
The anodal group improved grip strength compared with the sham group from
baseline to post-assessment (p = 0.025). However, this difference was attenuated
at one-week follow-up. There was a non-significant tendency for greater
improvement in JTT in the anodal group compared with the sham group, from
baseline to post-assessment (p = 0.158). CONCLUSIONS: Five consecutive days of
tDCS combined with occupational therapy provided greater improvements in grip
strength compared with occupational therapy alone. tDCS is a promising add-on
intervention regarding training of upper limb motor impairment. It is well
tolerated by patients and can easily be applied for home-based training. Larger
studies with long-term follow-up are needed to further explore possible effects
of tDCS in patients with ICH. Implications for Rehabilitation Five consecutive
days of tDCS combined with occupational therapy provided greater improvements in
grip strength compared with occupational therapy alone. tDCS is well tolerated by
patients and can easily be applied for home-based rehabilitation.

Langue : ANGLAIS