title: Facilitating effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on motor imagery brain-computer interface with robotic feedback for stroke rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy and effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor imagery brain-computer interface (MI-BCI) with robotic feedback for stroke rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients recruited through a hospital stroke rehabilitation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (N=19) who incurred a stroke 0.8 to 4.3 years prior, with moderate to severe upper extremity functional impairment, and passed BCI screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten sessions of 20 minutes of tDCS or sham before 1 hour of MI-BCI with robotic feedback upper limb stroke rehabilitation for 2 weeks. Each rehabilitation session comprised 8 minutes of evaluation and 1 hour of therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Upper extremity Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FMMA) scores measured end-intervention at week 2 and follow-up at week 4, online BCI accuracies from the evaluation part, and laterality coefficients of the electroencephalogram (EEG) from the therapy part of the 10 rehabilitation sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FMMA score improved in both groups at week 4, but no intergroup differences were found at any time points. Online accuracies of the evaluation part from the tDCS group were significantly higher than those from the sham group. The EEG laterality coefficients from the therapy part of the tDCS group were significantly higher than those of the sham group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest a role for tDCS in facilitating motor imagery in stroke.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Infocomm and Research, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore. Electronic address: kkang@i2r.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Kai Keng
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Infocomm and Research, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore.
authors.forename: Cuntai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Infocomm and Research, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore.
authors.forename: Kok Soon
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Phua
authors.affiliation: Institute for Infocomm and Research, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore.
authors.forename: Chuanchu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Wei Peng
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.affiliation: National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Changwu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yee Sien
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012371:Robotics; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D034941:Upper Extremity
keywords: Brain-computer interfaces; Rehabilitation; Stroke