[Transcranial direct current stimulation; potential new treatment for unilateral neglect]

One of the most devastating cognitive deficits following a stroke is when the patient neglects one half of the body and surroundings (unilateral neglect). Unilateral neglect following a stroke has a high prevalence and is one of the most important predictors of poor functional outcome. Various treatment methods have been studied over the past decades but their effects appear too short-term or task-specific and therefore, difficult to extrapolate to other untrained situations. A possible new intervention is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which is capable of modulating brain activity by polarizing neurons with the aid of a constant low current. Recent research suggests that inhibiting the intact hemisphere or increasing the neuronal activity in the damaged hemisphere might reduce unilateral neglect. For treating unilateral neglect, tDCS appears to be a promising technique; however, more research is necessary to reveal its therapeutic potential.