title: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Potentiates Improvements in Functional Ability in Patients With Chronic Stroke Receiving Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy.
abstract: Transcranial direct current stimulation may enhance effect of rehabilitation in patients with chronic stroke. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation combined with constraint-induced movement therapy of the paretic upper limb.
  
  
  
  A total of 44 patients with stroke were randomly allocated to receive 2 weeks of constraint-induced movement therapy with either anodal or sham transcranial direct current stimulation. The primary outcome measure, Wolf Motor Function Test, was assessed at baseline and after the intervention by blinded investigators.
  
  
  
  Both groups improved significantly on all Wolf Motor Function Test scores. Group comparison showed improvement on Wolf Motor Function Test in the anodal group compared with the sham group.
  
  
  
  Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation combined with constraint-induced movement therapy resulted in improvement of functional ability of the paretic upper limb compared with constraint-induced movement therapy alone.
  
  
  
  URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01983319.
authors.affiliation: From the Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic, Denmark (K.F., J.M., J.F.N., H.A.); Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (J.U.B.); and Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (K.E.S., H.A.). kryfig@rm.dk.
authors.forename: Krystian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Figlewski
authors.affiliation: From the Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic, Denmark (K.F., J.M., J.F.N., H.A.); Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (J.U.B.); and Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (K.E.S., H.A.).
authors.forename: Jakob Udby
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Blicher
authors.affiliation: From the Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic, Denmark (K.F., J.M., J.F.N., H.A.); Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (J.U.B.); and Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (K.E.S., H.A.).
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.affiliation: From the Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic, Denmark (K.F., J.M., J.F.N., H.A.); Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (J.U.B.); and Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (K.E.S., H.A.).
authors.forename: Kåre Eg
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Severinsen
authors.affiliation: From the Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic, Denmark (K.F., J.M., J.F.N., H.A.); Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (J.U.B.); and Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (K.E.S., H.A.).
authors.forename: Jørgen Feldbæk
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: From the Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic, Denmark (K.F., J.M., J.F.N., H.A.); Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (J.U.B.); and Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (K.E.S., H.A.).
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015915:Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive / Q000379:methods*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: anodal stimulation tDCS; rehabilitation; stroke; transcranial direct current stimulation; upper extremity