Transcranial direct current stimulation for improving spasticity after stroke: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability.
• Spasticity is a common and often debilitating symptom following stroke.
• Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques are being explored for stroke rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the existing evidence on the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for spasticity after stroke.
• To assess the impact of tDCS on reducing spasticity in stroke survivors.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases up to January 2016.
• Studies were screened for relevance, and data extraction was performed independently by two authors.
• Five randomized controlled trials involving 315 participants were included in the analysis.

Main Results:

• The available evidence indicates a moderate-to-low quality of evidence for no significant effect of tDCS on improving spasticity at the end of the intervention period.
• No studies investigated the long-term effects of tDCS on spasticity after stroke.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) does not effectively improve spasticity in individuals who have experienced a stroke.
• Further high-quality research is needed to explore potential long-term benefits or specific patient subgroups that might respond to tDCS.