title: Transcranial direct current stimulation for motor recovery of upper limb function after stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes in neural processing after stroke have been postulated to impede recovery from stroke. Transcranial direct current stimulation has the potential to alter cortico-spinal excitability and thereby might be beneficial in stroke recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We review the pertinent literature prior to 30/09/2013 on transcranial direct current stimulation in promoting motor recovery of the affected upper limb after stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found overall 23 trials (they included 523 participants). All stimulation protocols pride on interhemispheric imbalance model. In a comparative approach, methodology and effectiveness of (a) facilitation of the affected hemisphere, (b) inhibition of the unaffected hemisphere and (c) combined application of transcranial direct current stimulation over the affected and unaffected hemispheres to treat impaired hand function after stroke are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcranial direct current stimulation is associated with improvement of the affected upper limb after stroke, but current evidence does not support its routine use.
authors.affiliation: Helios Klinik Kipfenberg Kipfenberg, Germany. Electronic address: jpodubec@post.cz.
authors.forename: Jitka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lüdemann-Podubecká
authors.affiliation: Helios Klinik Kipfenberg Kipfenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bösl
authors.affiliation: Helios Klinik Kipfenberg Kipfenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rothhardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verheyden
authors.affiliation: Helios Klinik Kipfenberg Kipfenberg, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dennis Alexander
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nowak
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Motor recovery; Stroke; Transcranial direct current stimulation; Upper limb