The Synergistic Effects of Trunk Rehabilitation Exercise and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Brain-derived...

Stroke is a prevalent neurological disorder resulting from cerebral ischemia or hemorrhagic injury. Its pathomechanism varies based on etiology and location, leading to complications such as speech loss, impaired motor function, and cognitive decline. This study examines the innovative roles of trunk rehabilitation exercise (TRE), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and their combination on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with stroke.

A total of 69 stroke survivors were randomized into three intervention groups (IGs): TRE + control intervention (CI) (IG-I, n = 17), tDCS + CI (IG-II, n = 17), combined TRE + tDCS + CI (IG-III, n = 17), and a control group ( n = 18). The demographic analysis indicated a predominance of males aged 45-65 years. Serum BDNF levels were measured using an ELISA kit (SL0371Hu). Statistical analyses included factorial analysis of variance to assess the effects of the interventions on serum BDNF levels, with post hoc Tukey's tests to identify differences between the groups.

The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in serum BDNF levels among the groups ( F = 9.530, P = 0.001). The combined IG exhibited the highest mean posttest serum BDNF concentration (181.80 pg/mL), indicating that the combination of TRE and tDCS is more effective than either individual intervention.

These findings highlight the potential of combined rehabilitation strategies to enhance neuroplasticity and recovery in stroke survivors, suggesting that integrating TRE and tDCS may offer improved therapeutic outcomes.