Learning a Bimanual Cooperative Skill in Chronic Stroke Under Noninvasive Brain Stimulation: A Randomized Controlled Trial. (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Doost, Maral Yeganeh; Orban de Xivry, Jean-Jacques; Herman, Benoît; Vanthournhout, Léna; Riga, Audrey; Bihin, Benoît; Jamart, Jacques; Laloux, Patrice; Raymackers, Jean-Marc; Vandermeeren, Yves
• Is Part Of: Neurorehabilitation & neural repair. Volume 33:Number 6(2019)
• Page Start: 486
• Page End: 498
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: motor skill learning -- bimanual coordination -- stroke -- neurorehabilitation -- tDCS -- noninvasive brain stimulation; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Brain damage -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Spinal cord -- Wounds and injuries -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Regeneration -- Periodicals; Neuroplasticity -- Periodicals; 616.804305
• DOI: 10.1177/1545968319847963
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-9683

Abstract

Background . Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been suggested to improve poststroke recovery. However, its effects on bimanual motor learning after stroke have not previously been explored. Objective . We investigated whether dual-tDCS of the primary motor cortex (M1), with cathodal and anodal tDCS applied over undamaged and damaged hemispheres, respectively, improves learning and retention of a new bimanual cooperative motor skill in stroke patients. Method . Twenty-one chronic hemiparetic patients were recruited for a randomized, double-blinded, cross-over, sham-controlled trial. While receiving real or sham dual-tDCS, they trained on a bimanual cooperative task called CIRCUIT. Changes in performance were quantified via bimanual speed/accuracy trade-off (Bi-SAT) and bimanual coordination factor (Bi-Co) before, during, and 0, 30, and 60 minutes after dual-tDCS, as well as one week later to measure retention. A generalization test then followed, where patients were asked to complete a new CIRCUIT layout. Results . The patients were able to learn and retain the bimanual cooperative skill. However, a general linear mixed model did not detect a significant difference in retention between the real and sham dual-tDCS conditions for either Bi-SAT or Bi-Co. Similarly, no difference in generalization was detected for Bi-SAT or Bi-Co. Conclusion . The chronic hemiparetic stroke patients learned and retained the complex bimanual cooperative task and generalized the newly acquired skills to other tasks, indicating that bimanual CIRCUIT training is promising as a neurorehabilitation approach. However, bimanual motor skill learning was not enhanced by dual-tDCS in these patients.