• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.65-71
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• 2009

Purpose: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a useful method for modulating the brain activity. This study compared the effect of continuous and interrupted tDCS using the change in the movement related cortical potential. Methods: Thirty healthy participants (male: 18 and female: 12) were assigned randomly to three groups; sham tDCS, continuous tDCS, which the current continuously flowed for 10 minutes, and interrupted tDCS, which the interrupted current flowed for 10 minutes (repetition: 4sec stimulation and 5sec rest) at an intensity of 1mA with anodal polarity. The effect of tDCS on the right primary motor area was measured from the movement related cortical potential (MRCP) before and after the experiment. MRCP consisted of the bereitshaftspotential (BP) and negative slope potential (NS) at Cz and C4. Results: Continuous and interrupted tDCS showed a significant difference in the changes in the BP, NS at Cz and C4 compared to the sham tDCS. However, there was no significant difference between the continuous tDCS and interrupted tDCS. Conclusion: The change in cortical activity by continuous and interrupted tDCS results from an improvement in the MRCP. An interrupted tDCS may be a safe and useful modality for stimulating the cortical region.

• 한국엔터테인먼트산업학회논문지
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.269-277
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• 2020

본 연구의 목적은 감각 결손이 있는 만성 뇌졸중 환자를 대상으로 경 두개 직류 전류 자극을 체성감각피질에 적용했을 때, 감각의 회복과 상지 기능의 회복을 알아보고자 하는 것이다. 만성 뇌졸중 환자 20명을 실험군 10명, 대조군 10명으로 나누어 실시하였다. 실험군은 환측 체성감각피질에 경 두개 직류 전류 자극을 적용하였으며, 대조군은 위상 자극을 실시하였다. 중재는 총 2주간, 10회, 회기 당 20분씩 진행되었다. 체성감각 평가는 The Erasmus MC modifications to the (revised) Nottingham Sensory Assessment(EmNSA), Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination(SWME), 상지기능 평가는 퍼글마이어평가(FMA), 운동 활동 척도(MAL), 가속도계를 사용하였다. 연구 결과, 실험군은 대조군보다 전체적인 촉각 감각과 고유수용성 감각, 피질 감각, 지각의 민감도에서 유의한 개선을 보였으며, 환측 상지의 사용량에서 통계학적 유의한 차이를 나타냈다. 본 연구 결과를 기반으로 체성감각 회복과 상지기능의 회복을 위한 tDCS의 효과적인 임상 적용의 가능성을 높일 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.484-488
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• 2013

Objective : To examine the synergistic effects of both computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive function in patients with stroke. Methods : The current double-blind, sham-controlled study enrolled a total of 11 patients who were newly diagnosed with stroke. The patients of the tDCS group (n=6) completed sessions of the Korean computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation program five times a week for 30 minutes a session during a mean period of 18.5 days concomitantly with the anodal tDCS over the bilateral prefrontal cortex combined with the CACR. The patients of the control group (n=5) also completed sessions of the sham stimulation during a mean period of 17.8 days. Anodal tDCS over bilateral prefrontal cortex (F3 and F4 in 10-20 EEG system) was delivered for 30 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA. Cathode electrodes were applied to the non-dominant arm. All the patients were evaluated using the Seoul Computerized Neuropsychological Test (SCNT) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination. Results : Mann-Whitney U test revealed a significant difference between the two groups. The patients of the tDCS group achieved a significant improvement in the post/pre ratio of auditory continuous performance test and visual continuous performance test on the SCNT items. Conclusion : Our results indicate that the concomitant use of the tDCS with CACR to the prefrontal cortex may provide additional beneficial effects in improving the cognitive dysfunction for patients with stroke.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.377-383
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• 2023

Purpose: There is increasing attention to the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for enhancing cognitive functions in subjects to aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite varying treatment outcomes in tDCS which depend on the amount of current reaching the brain, there is no general information on the impacts of anatomical features associated with AD on tDCS-induced electric field. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine how AD-related anatomical variation affects the tDCS-induced electric field using computational modeling. Methods: We collected 180 magnetic resonance images (MRI) of AD patients and healthy controls from a publicly available database (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; ADNI), and MRIs were divided into female-AD, male-AD, female-normal, and male-normal groups. For each group, segmented brain volumes (cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, ventricle, rostral middle frontal (RMF), and hippocampus/amygdala complex) using MRI were measured, and tDCS-induced electric fields were simulated, targeting RMF. Results: For segmented brain volumes, significant sex differences were observed in the gray matter and RMF, and considerable disease differences were found in cerebrospinal fluid, ventricle, and hippocampus/amygdala complex. There were no differences in the tDCS-induced electric field among AD and normal groups; however, higher peak values of electric field were observed in the female group than the male group. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the presence of sex and disease differences in segmented brain volumes; however, this pattern differed in tDCS-induced electric field, resulting in significant sex differences only. Further studies, we will adjust the brain stimulation conditions to target the deep brain and examine the effects, because of significant differences in the ventricles and deep brain regions between AD and normal groups.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.38-42
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• 2015

Purpose: Accuracy and variability of movement in daily life require synchronization of muscular activities through a specific chronological order of motor performance, which is controlled by higher neural substrates and/or lower motor centers. We attempted to investigate whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over primary sensorimotor areas (SM1) could influence movement variability in healthy subjects, using a tapping task. Methods: Twenty six right-handed healthy subjects with no neurological or psychiatric disorders participated in this study. They were randomly and equally assigned to the real tDCS group or sham control group. Direct current with intensity of 1 mA was delivered over their right SM1 for 15 minutes. For estimation of movement variability before and after tDCS, tapping task was measured, and variability was calculated as standard deviation of the inter-tap interval (SD-ITI). Results: At the baseline test, there was no significant difference in SD-ITI between the two groups. In two-way ANOVA with repeated measurement no significant differences were found in a large main effect of group and interaction effect between two main factors (i.e., group factor and time factor (pre-post test)). However, significant findings were observed in a large main effect of the pre-post test. Conclusion: Our findings showed that the anodal tDCS over SM1 for 15 minutes with intensity of 1 mA could enhance consistency of motor execution in a repetitive-simple tapping task. We suggest that tDCS has potential as an adjuvant brain facilitator for improving rhythm and consistency of movement in healthy individuals.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.386-390
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether visuomotor function would be modulated, when healthy subjects performed tracking task after tDCS application over the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) in the non-dominant hemisphere. Methods: Thirty four right-handed healthy participants were enrolled, who randomly and evenly divided into two groups, real tDCS group and sham control group. Direct current with intensity of 1 mA was delivered over SM1 for 15 minutes. After tDCS, tracking task was measured, and their performance was calculated by an accuracy index (AI). Results: No significant difference in AI at the baseline between the two groups was observed. The AI of the real tDCS group was significantly increased after electrical stimulation, compared to the sham control group. Two way ANOVA with repeated measurement showed a significant finding in a large main effects of time and group-by-repeated test interaction. Conclusion: This study indicated that application of the anodal tDCS over the SM1 could facilitate higher visuomotor coordination, compared to sham tDCS group. These findings suggest possibility that tDCS can be used as adjuvant brain modulator for improvement of motor accuracy in healthy individuals as well as patients with brain injury.

• 대한정형도수물리치료학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.79-87
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• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the pain and balance of patients who receive total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods: This study subjects were 24 patients in Hospital T, located in Daegu, South Korea who received TKA after being diagnosed with degenerative arthritis. The subjects were randomly divided into and experimental group and a control group, with each group including 12 patients. Both group received superfical thermal therapy, interferential current therapy (ICT), and continue passive motion (CPM), which are conventional knee therapy on the knee joint. The experimental group received the tDCS treatment three times a week for three weeks, from October 1st to October 20th. The visual analogue scale and Wii Balance Board system were used to measure the pain and balancing ability, respectively, of both groups. In the statistical result analysis, to compare about pre and post test difference in each groups was accomplished. Statistical analysis of independent t-test and paired t-test were conducted using SPSS version 23.0. Results: After three weeks of intervation, there were significantly difference in balance ability in pre and post test in the tDCS group. VAS decreased significantly in both groups(p<.05), There was a significantly difference in pain, balance ability in the tDCS group compared to the sham group. Conclusion: These results indicate that applying tDCS together with conventional knee joint therapy for TKA patients is effective in promoting the patients' recovery.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.11-20
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to research the effects of dual-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation (dual tDCS) and modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) to improve upper extremity motor function after stroke. Methods : The study period was from August 2019 to November 2019, and included 24 patients who met the selection criteria. Participants were divided into 2 groups: dual tDCS and mCIMT, and sham dual tDCS and mCIMT group. Dual tDCS and mCIMT group performed mCIMT immediately after applying dual tDCS for 20 minutes, and sham dual tDCS and mCIMT group performed mCIMT immediately after applying sham tDCS for 20 minutes without turning on the power source. Total interventions were conducted 5 times per week for 4 weeks, and mCIMT was conducted for 30 minutes per session for both experimental and control groups. Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and Motor Activity Log scale (MAL) were analyzed before and after 4 weeks of intervention. Results : Both experimental and control groups showed significant changes in FMA, Amount of Use (AOU), and Quality of Movement (QOM) of MAL. When the differences between groups was compared using ANCOVA, the experimental group showed a greater improvement in FMA and AOU of MAL than the control group. Conclusion : In order to enhance the effect of improving upper limb function of stroke patients, dual tDCS could be applied to provide more effective treatment in the clinical setting. Further studies will be needed in larger groups of stroke patients, including long-term follow-up, and multi-group comparisons through the establishment of anodal tDCS and mCIMT, cathodal tDCS, and mCIMT groups to clarify the effects of dual tDCS. In addition, research is needed to establish a protocol for tDCS, and this evidence-based intervention protocol is expected to be used in the clinical setting as an interventional method for various purposes.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.76-81
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• 2021

Objective: Smartphone addiction can cause forward head posture, carpal tunnel syndrome and depression, and anxiety. Various interventions have been proposed to resolve Smartphone addiction. However, research regarding the efficacy of these interventions remains lacking. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) on smartphone addiction solution and stress reduction. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: The participants were divided randomly into two group (tDCS vs. Control). tDCS was applied to 41 adults (22.95±2.76 years). The tDCS group was applied 2 mA, for 13 minutes twice over a 26 minute period (n₁ = 21). The control (n₂ = 20) was not applied after padding and was applied twice for 13 minutes over a 26 minute period. This study was conducted four times a week for a total of four weeks. Results: Smartphone addiction for tDCS showed significant improvement in the results in the S-score (p<0.05, 95% CI: 0.702, 4.922), and the result of heart rate (HR) and skin conductivity (SC) to stress. The tDCS group and control group showed no significant decrese in the results in the HR (p>0.05, 95% CI: -3.390, 8.332), but tDCS group showed significant decrese in the results in the SC (p<0.05, 95% CI: 0.060, 1.343) Conclusions: This study suggected that smartphone addiction treatment and decreses of stress. The use of tDCS will reduce the addiction rate of adults and reduce stress, so that possible side effects in society can be solved.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.8-15
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• 2022

Objective: Post stroke motor recovery is facilitated by the brain reorganization or the neuroplastic changes. The therapeutic approach mentioned in the current case is one of the approaches for enhancing motor recovery by stimulating the damaged neural networks directing the motor behaviour of a person. The aim of the present study was to establish the changes in the balance and gait pattern of an individual through multi target stimulation of areas of cerebral cortex by utilising multichannel trans cranial direct current stimulation (M-tDCS) in a sub-acute stroke survivor. Design: A Case Report Methods: The present patient was the participant of the trial (CTRI/2021/02/031044).The patient was intervened with M-tDCS (anodes over left primary motor cortex that is C3 point and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex i.e., F3 point and cathodes over supraorbital areas, Intensity - 1.2mA) for the duration of 20 minutes along with turbo med extern - an AFO to facilitate ankle dorsi flexion and conventional physiotherapy rehabilitation. The Fugl-Meyer assessment lower extremity (FMA-LE), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS) and the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SSQOL) measures were used for outcome assessment. Baseline assessment was done on day 0 followed by assessment on 10 and 20 post intervention. Results: Improvement was seen in all the tools i.e. (FMA -LE), BBS, SSQOL and WGS over the time period of 20 days. Conclusions: M-tDCS resulted in improvement in gait parameters, balance and motor functions of lower extremity of the patient.