The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
Recent studies showed that a non-invasive, low-intensity brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can effectively increase motor neuron excitability in the brain and therefore promotes functional recovery after stroke. Thus, the overall purpose of this research project is to examine the effect of brain stimulation on motor skill learning in stroke survivors.
The specific aims and hypotheses are: Aim 1: To explore the trends of locomotor skill acquisition in stroke survivors after anodal tDCS (a-tDCS, real brain stimulation), stroke survivors after sham tDCS (s-tDCS), and stroke with no brain stimulation (control; CON). Hypothesis (Aim 1): Stroke participants who receives a-tDCS will show a faster rate of learning a locomotor task compared to stroke participants who receive s-tDCS and stroke participants with no brain stimulation. Aim 2: To explore different trends of stimulation-induced improvements in learning capacity and neural activities bet…
Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 21 and 90 years * Medical history of a unilateral stroke occurring ≥ 6 months prior to enrollment * MRI or CT evidence from the imaging report shown that the stroke involves the corticospinal tract * Hemiparesis involving the lower extremity (Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Motor Test) * No passive range of motion limitation in bilateral hips and knees * Limitation of ankle passive range of motion to 10 degrees of dorsiflexion or less * Visual acuity can be corrected by glasses or contact lens to 20/20 * Able to walk independently with/without assistant devices fo…
Stroke participants will be randomly assigned into one of three groups: anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS), sham tDCS (s-tDCS), or control groups (i.e. no brain stimulation). Young and older healthy adults will be randomly assignments into a-tDCS or s-tDCS groups. Stroke participants in each group will receive a four-week of the assigned brain stimulation combined with visuomotor stepping training and treadmill training
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