title: Multiple sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation and upper extremity rehabilitation in stroke: A review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review the methodology in particular treatment options and outcomes and the effect of multiple sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with rehabilitation programmes for upper extremity recovery post stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search was conducted for randomised controlled trials involving tDCS and rehabilitation for the upper extremity in stroke. Quality of included studies was analysed using the Modified Downs and Black form. The extent of, and effect of variation in treatment parameters such as anodal, cathodal and bi-hemispheric tDCS on upper extremity outcome measures of impairment and activity were analysed using meta-analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine studies (371 participants with acute, sub-acute and chronic stroke) were included. Different methodologies of tDCS and upper extremity intervention, outcome measures and timing of assessments were identified. Real tDCS combined with rehabilitation had a small non-significant effect of +0.11 (p=0.44) and +0.24 (p=0.11) on upper extremity impairments and activities at post-intervention respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Various tDCS methods have been used in stroke rehabilitation. The evidence so far is not statistically significant, but is suggestive of, at best, a small beneficial effect on upper extremity impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research should focus on which patients and rehabilitation programmes are likely to respond to different tDCS regimes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, UK. Electronic address: l.tedesco-triccas@uea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tedesco Triccas
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Burridge
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Medical Statistics Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pickering
authors.affiliation: Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College of London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desikan
authors.affiliation: Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College of London, UK.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rothwell
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verheyden
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Non-invasive brain stimulation; Recovery; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Transcranial direct current stimulation; Upper extremity