Enhancing motor performance by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in subacute stroke patients

To investigate whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances motor performance in the paretic hand of subacute poststroke patients and how long the improvement persisted after the session.

Ten subacute poststroke patients who suffered stoke within 12 wks were recruited for this single-blinded, sham-controlled, crossover study. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation or sham stimulation was randomly delivered on the hot spot of the first dorsal interosseous in the affected hemisphere. The duration of transcranial direct current stimulation was 20 mins and sham was 30 secs. The Box and Block test and finger acceleration measurement were performed before, during, immediately after, and 30 and 60 mins after anodal or sham stimulation to assess time-dependent changes in motor performance.

Finger acceleration measurement and Box and Block test were significantly improved after anodal transcranial direct current stimulation compared with sham stimulation (P < 0.05). Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation significantly improved Box and Block test for at least 60 mins and finger acceleration until 30 mins after stimulation (P < 0.05) without significant differences in attention and fatigue.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on the affected hemisphere can enhance motor performance of the hemiparetic hand transiently, outlasting the stimulation session.