title: Does hemispheric lateralization influence therapeutic effects of transcranial direct current stimulation?
abstract: This study investigated the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) polarity depending on lateralized function of task property in normal individuals performing visuomotor and simple repetitive tasks. Thirty healthy participants with no neurological disorders were recruited to participate in this study. Participants were randomly allocated into active or control condition. For the active condition, tDCS intensity was 2 mA with stimulation applied for 15 minutes to the right hemisphere (tDCS condition). For the sham control, electrodes were placed in the same position, but the stimulator was turned off after 30 seconds (sham condition). The tapping and tracking task tests were performed before and after for both conditions. Univariate analysis revealed significant difference only in the tracking task. For direct comparison of both tasks within each group, the tracking task had significantly higher Z score than the tapping task in the tDCS group (P < 0.05). Thus, our study indicates that stimulation of the right hemisphere using tDCS can effectively improve visuomotor (tracking) task over simple repetitive (tapping) task.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Yeungnam University College, Daemyung-dong, Namgu, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Jilyang, Gyeongsan-si, Kyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Woo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7874-8607
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Jilyang, Gyeongsan-si, Kyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Na Kyung
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Cheongju University, Daeseong-ro, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Son
keywords: hemispheric lateralization; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; task property; tracking task; transcranial direct current stimulation; visuomotor task