Increased functional connectivity one week after motor learning and tDCS in stroke patients.
Recent studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) demonstrated that changes in functional connectivity (FC) after stroke correlate with recovery. The aim of this study was to explore whether combining motor learning to dual transcranial direct current stimulation (dual-tDCS, applied over both primary motor cortices (M1)) modulated FC in stroke patients. Twenty-two chronic hemiparetic stroke patients participated in a baseline rs-fMRI session. One week later, dual-tDCS/sham was applied during motor skill learning (intervention session); one week later, the retention session started with the acquisition of a run of rs-fMRI imaging. The intervention+retention sessions were performed once with dual-tDCS and once with sham in a randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled, double-blind design. A whole-brain independent component analysis based analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated no changes between baseline and sham sessions in the somatomotor network, whereas a FC increase was observed one week after dual-tDCS compared to baseline (qFDR <0.05, t63=4.15). A seed-based analysis confirmed specific stimulation-driven changes within a network of motor and premotor regions in both hemispheres. At baseline and one week after sham, the strongest FC was observed between the M1 and dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) of the undamaged hemisphere. In contrast, one week after dual-tDCS, the strongest FC was found between the M1 and PMd of the damaged hemisphere. Thus, a single session of dual-tDCS combined with motor skill learning increases FC in the somatomotor network of chronic stroke patients for one week.
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), CHU UCL Namur, Neurology Department, Stoke Unit & NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Avenue Dr G. Therasse, Yvoir 5530, Belgium; Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), Brussels, Belgium.
Stéphanie
S
Lefebvre
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), CHU UCL Namur, Neurology Department, Stoke Unit & NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Avenue Dr G. Therasse, Yvoir 5530, Belgium.
Laurence
L
Dricot
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), CHU UCL Namur, Neurology Department, Stoke Unit & NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Avenue Dr G. Therasse, Yvoir 5530, Belgium; Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), Brussels, Belgium.
Patrice
P
Laloux
Centre hospitalier Chrétien CHC, Site Saint-Joseph, Neurology Department, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Philippe
P
Desfontaines
Clinique Saint-Pierre, Neurology Department, 1340 Ottignies, Belgium.
Frédéric
F
Evrard
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc UCL, Service de Neurologie, Unité neuro-vasculaire, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
André
A
Peeters
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), CHU UCL Namur, Scientific Support Unit, Belgium.
Jacques
J
Jamart
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), CHU UCL Namur, Neurology Department, Stoke Unit & NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Avenue Dr G. Therasse, Yvoir 5530, Belgium; Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), Brussels, Belgium; Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain Bionics, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Electronic address: yves.vandermeeren@uclouvain.be.
Yves
Y
Vandermeeren
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D010291:Paresis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
functional connectivity; neurorehabilitation; resting-state-fMRI; stroke; transcranial direct current stimulation