AUTHOR=Heinz Glauber , De Angelis Katia , Dal Corso Simone , Sousa Maria Helena Gomes De , Viana Ariane , Dos Santos Fernando , Corrêa João Carlos Ferrari , Corrêa Fernanda Ishida
TITLE=Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Exercises Treadmill on Autonomic Modulation of Hemiparetic Patients Due To Stroke—Clinic Test, Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology
VOLUME=10
YEAR=2020
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2019.01402
DOI=10.3389/fneur.2019.01402
ISSN=1664-2295
ABSTRACT=Background: After a Stroke, there is an autonomic nervous system (ANS) changes. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can promote the reorganization of the affected circuits.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of tDCS applied before a session of physical activity on the treadmill, in the modulation of the autonomic nervous system of post-stroke patients.
Methodology: Cross-over study, were randomized 12 adult hemiparetic subjects in 2 groups, Group 1 (active tDCS before exercise on the treadmill) and Group 2 (sham tDCS before exercise on the treadmill). Stimulation times were 20 min; treadmill time was 20 min. The heart rate variability (HRV) and Variability of Systolic Blood Pressure (VSBP) were evaluated for 15 min, in 3 periods (pre and post tDCS and during exercise recovery on the treadmill).
Results: There was no difference in the VSBP and the HRV between the groups, compared with the baseline data; however, in the intragroup analysis, the parasympathetic modulation after active tDCS increased by 18% over baseline by the RMSSD with IC 95% (−7.85 to −0.34). In group 1, the post-tDCS active and post-exercise periods presented a value of variance above baseline, indicating a better prognosis. In group 2, there was a significant reduction of 38% of Variance values (p = 0.003) after tDCS sham.
Conclusion: tDCS does not generate immediate effects on HRV and VSBP, except for intragroup comparison, which has greater participation in parasympathetic modulation in the group receiving active tDCS.