Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2025
Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
Published on: June 6, 2025
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Followed by Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Walking and Cortical
Pei-Ling Wong1, Yea-Ru Yang1, Shih-Fong Huang2
1Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.
Objective:
To explore the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation followed by treadmill training on dual-task gait performance and contralesional cortical activity in chronic stroke patients.
Methods:
Forty-five chronic stroke participants were randomized into 3 groups: a bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training group; a cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training group; and a sham transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training group for 50 min per session (20 min transcranial direct current stimulation followed by 30 min treadmill training), 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures included cognitive dual-task walking, motor dual-task walking, walking performance, contralesional cortical activity, and lower-extremity motor control.
Results:
The cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation + treadmill training group showed significantly greater improvements in cognitive dual-task walking speed than the other groups (p cathodal vs sham = 0.006, p cathodal vs bilateral = 0.016). In the cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation + treadmill training group the silent period duration increased significantly more than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Changes in motor evoked potentials in the cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation + treadmill training group were greater than those in the sham transcranial direct current stimulation + treadmill training group (p < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in the bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation + treadmill training group.
Conclusion:
Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation followed by treadmill training is an effective intervention for improving cognitive dual-task walking and modulating contralesional cortical activity in chronic stroke. No beneficial effects were observed after bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation and treadmill training.
