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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Researchers from the University of Oxford have used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in conjunction with a motor rehabilitation program in stroke victims. The group that received tDCS showed improved long-term outcomes [bbc.com] (although the sample size was small):

The study, published in the Journal of Science Translational Medicine, involved 24 people who had had strokes at least six months before the trial began and still experienced difficulties while moving their arms or hands. Each volunteer had nine sessions of intensive rehabilitation where they were encouraged to move their affected limbs. And for the first twenty minutes of each session 11 had additional therapy - known as transcranial direct current stimulation - where electrodes were placed on the participant's scalp above the affected area of the brain, and a low current was applied. The others had a dummy treatment - with just seconds of electrical stimulation before the machine was switched off.

Researchers found all patients had improved - but the biggest improvements were seen in patients who had prolonged electrical stimulation. And improvements persisted three months after rehab stopped. One patient, for example, found he could feed himself more easily after the treatment and others were better able to lift, grasp or reach for objects. But improvements varied, partly depending on the severity of the initial stroke. According to brain scans, the group that had electrical stimulation also showed increased activity in regions of the brain related to movement.

Ipsilesional anodal tDCS enhances the functional benefits of rehabilitation in patients after stroke [sciencemag.org] (DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aad5651)

Original Submission