title: Differential effects of primary motor cortex and cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on motor learning in healthy individuals: A randomized double-blind sham-controlled study.
abstract: The purpose of study was to compare the effect of primary motor cortex (M1) and cerebellar anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) on online and offline motor learning in healthy individuals. Fifty-nine healthy volunteers were randomly divided into three groups (n=20 in two experimental groups and n=19 in sham-control group). One experimental group received M1a-tDCSand another received cerebellar a-tDCS. The main outcome measure were response time (RT) and number of errors during serial response time test (SRTT) which were assessed prior, 35min and 48h after the interventions. Reduction of response time (RT) and error numbers at last block of the test compared to the first block was considered online learning. Comparison of assessments during retention tests was considered as short-term and long-term offline learning. Online RT reduction was not different among groups (P>0.05), while online error reduction was significantly greater in cerebellar a-tDCS than sham-control group (P<0.017). Moreover, a-tDCS on both M1 and cerebellar regions produced more long-term offline learning as compared to sham tDCS (P<0.01), while short-term offline RT reduction was significantly greater in M1a-tDCS than sham-control group (P<0.05). The findings indicated that although cerebellar a-tDCS enhances online learning and M1a-tDCS has more effect on short-term offline learning, both M1and cerebellar a-tDCS can be used as a boosting technique for improvement of offline motor learning in healthy individuals.
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran. Electronic address: fatemehehsani59@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ehsani
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran. Electronic address: amirbakhtiary@semums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Bakhtiary
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: shapour.jaberzadeh@med.monash.edu.au.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaberzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Ai.talimkhani@uswr.c.ir.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talimkhani
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran. Electronic address: Hajihasani41@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hajihasani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cerebellum; Motor learning; Primary motor cortex; Serial reaction time test; Transcranial direct current stimulation