title: Non-invasive alternating current stimulation induces recovery from stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recovery of post-stroke deficits can be achieved by modulating neuroplasticity with non-invasive brain stimulation. To evaluate potential effects of repetitive transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) on stroke recovery we carried out a randomized, drug-controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight patients that had suffered ischemic stroke 21.4 months earlier were randomly assigned to either group D (n=30) receiving conventional drug therapy, group ACS (n=32) treated for 12 days with rtACS, or group D/ACS (n=36) receiving combined drug therapy/rtACS. Stroke severity level (SSL) was assessed by the NIH-NINDS stroke scale before and after treatment and at a 1-month follow-up to evaluate motor impairments (weakness, ataxia), sensory loss, visual field defects, and cortical deficits (aphasia, neglect). At each time point standard EEG recordings (10-20 system) were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before therapy SSL was moderate (9.18 ± 0.78) without significant group difference (F =0.86, p=0.43). After 12 days of treatment, SSLs of groups ACS and D/ACS significantly improved by 22.5% and 25.1% over baseline, respectively, with no such change in the control group D (+3%). SSL improvements were mainly due to recovery of motor, sensory, and speech functions. After 1-month follow-up, an additional improvement of 9.7% and 9.4% was seen for the group ACS and D/ACS which led to a total change of +32.3% and +34.7% over baseline. EEG recordings revealed greater interhemispheric synchrony between both temporal lobes which were positively correlated with clinical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-invasive rtACS applied to post-stroke patients can modulate brain plasticity and induce recovery from neurological deficits long after the early post lesion recovery is over.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fedorov
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chibisova
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szymaszek
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alexandrov
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gall
authors.forename: Bernhard A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sabel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin