title: Transcranial direct current stimulation of the affected hemisphere does not accelerate recovery of acute stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) is a potential tool to improve motor deficits in chronic stroke patients. Safety and efficacy of this procedure in acute stroke patients have not yet been addressed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed in our stroke unit a single-centre randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study to investigate safety and efficacy of anodal TDCS of the affected hemisphere in acute stroke patients. The second day from stroke onset, 50 acute stroke patients received either five-daily sessions of anodal (n=25) at 2mA for 20min or sham TDCS (n=25) to the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1). Motor deficit was assessed by the short form of the Fugl-Meyer motor scale (FM) and overall neurological deficit by the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at onset, at 5days after stroke and after 3months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No side effects were detected during either TDCS or sham. In both groups, there was a significant improvement in NIHSS and FM scores, which did not significantly differ when comparing TDCS and sham.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Five-daily sessions of anodal TDCS to the ipsilesional M1 appear to be safe in acute stroke patients but do not improve clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Unit, University of Tor Vergata, Rome            Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sallustio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Legge
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stanzione
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult