Point-of-care-testing of standing posture with Wii balance board and Microsoft Kinect during transcranial direct current stimulation: a feasibility study.
BACKGROUND
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is a promising tool for facilitating motor function. NIBS therapy in conjunction with training using postural feedback may facilitate physical rehabilitation following posture disorders (e.g., Pusher Syndrome).


OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were, 1) to develop a low-cost point-of-care-testing (POCT) system for standing posture, 2) to investigate the effects of anodal tDCS on functional reach tasks using the POCT system.


METHODS
Ten community-dwelling elderly (age >50 years) subjects evaluated the POCT system for standing posture during functional reach tasks where their balance score on Berg Balance Scale was compared with that from Center-of-Mass (CoM) - Center-of-Pressure (CoP) posturography. Then, in a single-blind, sham-controlled study, five healthy right-leg dominant subjects (age: 26.4 ± 5.3 yrs) were evaluated using the POCT system under two conditions - with anodal tDCS of primary motor representations of right tibialis anterior muscle and with sham tDCS.


RESULTS
The maximum CoP-CoM lean-angle was found to be well correlated with the BBS score in the elderly subjects The anodal tDCS strongly (p = 0.0000) affected the maximum CoP excursions but not the return reaction time in healthy.


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that the CoM-CoP lean-line could be used for posture feedback and monitoring during tDCS therapy in conjunction with balance training exercises.
Gnan Systems LLP, Kolkata, India.
Arindam
A
Dutta
Neuro Rehab Services LLP, Kolkata, India.
Sanjay
S
Chugh
Max Superspecialty Hospital, Saket, India.
Alakananda
A
Banerjee
Le Laboratoire d'Informatique, de Robotique et de Microélectronique de Montpellier-LIRMM, Montpellier Cedex, France Institut national de recherche en informatique et en automatique-INRIA, Montpellier Cedex, France.
Anirban
A
Dutta
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000191:economics; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012984:Software
Wii balance board; balance disorders; microsoft kinect; non-invasive brain stimulation