• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.213-221
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• 2020

Purpose : This study aimed to evaluate the changes in visual perception and daily life activities after simultaneously applying the visual perception training program and transcranial DC stimulation. Particularly, this study tried to understand what changes in abilities among daily life activities influenced cognition. Methods : This study selected 50 dementia patients to achieve the objective. This study applied transcranial DC stimulation and a visual perception training program to a treatment group (n=25) and a visual perception training program to a control group (n=25). The intervention was applied five times per week and 30 minutes per session (total of 30 intervention sessions). This study measured visual perception functions and daily life activities using MVPT and FIM before and after applying the intervention. Results : The visual perception, mobility of daily life activities, cognition, and total score of the treatment group (n=25), which received the visual perception training program and transcranial DC at the same time, were significantly (p<.05) different between before and after the intervention. Moreover, when the visual perception and daily life activities of the treatment group and those of the control group after implementing the intervention were compared, they were significantly (p<.05) different between the two groups. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that the simultaneous application of the visual perception training program and transcranial DC stimulation was an effective means to enhance the visual perception and daily life activities of dementia patients. The results implied that transcranial DC stimulation, as well as the application of visual perception training program, as well as a visual perception training program, was effective for improving the visual perception functions and daily life activities dementia patients and simultaneous application of the two interventions would increase the effect even further.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2011

For effective stimulation with tDCS, spatial focality of induced electrical field(EF) and current density(CD) is one of the important factors to be considered. Recently, there have been some studies to improve the spatial focality via different types of electrodes and their new configurations: some improvements using ring electrodes were reported over the conventional pad electrodes. However, most of these studies assumed isotropic conductivities in the head. In this work, we have investigated the effect of tissue anisotropy on the spatial focality of tDCS with the 4 + 1 ring electrode configuration via a 3-D high-resolution finite element(FE) head model with anisotropic conductivities in the skull and white matter. By examining the profiles of the induced EF from the head models with isotropic and anisotropic conductivities respectively, we found that the spatial focality of the induced EF significantly drops and get diffused due to tissue anisotropy. Our analysis suggests that it is critical to incorporate tissue anisotropy in the effective stimulation of the brain via tDCS.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on muscle activity, including 10 m WT, TUG, and BBS, in hemiplegic stroke patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 42 inpatients diagnosed with hemiplegia due to stroke at hospital B in Daejeon for more than 6 months. Walking training was conducted for six weeks, five times a week for 30 minutes, with a general walking group (14 people), tDCS walking group (14 people), and tDCS (sham) walking group (14 people). Results: As a result of the study, the change in the muscle activity before and after tDCS intervention was significantly increased in the tibialis anterior muscle in the CG group. In the EG group, the erector spine (lumbar), rectus femoris, and tibialis anterior muscles significantly increased. In the SEG group, significant increases were observed in the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles. Significant differences were found in the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles in the comparison between groups after intervention according to tDCS application. Also, 10 m WT, TUG, and BBS were significantly increased in the CG, EG, and SEG groups after intervention, and there were significant differences in 10 m WT, TUG, and BBS in comparison between groups after intervention according to tDCS application. Conclusion: As a result, tDCS is an effective in improving the walking ability of stroke patients, and in particular, it effectively increases the muscle activity of the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles, which act directly on walking, and also improves the speed and stability of walking. It is considered being an effective method to increase the gait of stroke patients by combining it with the existing gait training.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.75-84
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• 2022

Background: This study was to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation due to hemiplegic patients due to stroke on temporal and spatial gait ability. Design: Randomized sham controlled trial. Methods: For the study method, 42 patients with hemiplegia due to stroke were randomly assigned to 14 patients each, and the general walking group, tDCS walking group, and tDCS (sham) walking group were subjected to 5 times a week, 30 minutes a day, and 6 weeks. In the temporal gait variables of hemiplegic patients due to stroke, the effect of the gait time, gait cycle, single support, double support, swing phase, stance phase, gait speed, cadence were measured. In spatial variables, one step length and one step length were measured. Results: As a result of the study, the EG group significantly increased in the step time, gait velocity, and cadence of the paralysis side in the comparison of temporal walking variables between groups according to the application of tDCS of walking ability in hemiplegic patients due to stroke patients(p<.05). In the change in spatial walking variables between groups according to the application of tDCS, the step length and stride length of the EG group showed a significant increase. Both the comparison of temporal and spatial symmetry walking variables between groups according to tDCS application was not significant(p>.05) Conclusion: As a result, tDCS has an effective effect on the improvement of the gait ability of stroke patients. In particular, it is an effective method of physical therapy that can improve the cadence and speed of gait, which can be combined with the existing gait training to effectively increase the gait of hemiplegia due to stroke patients.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.209-244
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• 2020

TMS and tDCS are non-invasive devices that treat the diseases of patients or individual users, and manage or improve their health by applying stimulation to a brain through magnetism and electricity. The effect and safety of these devices have proved to be valid in several diseases, but research in this area is still much going on. Despite increasing cases of their application, legislations directly regulating TMS and tDCS are hard to find. Legal regulation regarding TMS and tDCS in the United States, Germany and Japan reveals that while TMS has been approved as a medical device with a moderate risk, tDCS has not yet earned approval as a medical device. However, the recent FDA guidance, European MDR changes, recalls in the US, and relevant legal provisions of Germany and Japan, as well as recommendations from expert groups all show signs of tDCS growing closer to getting approved as a medical device. Of course, safety and efficacy of tDCS can still be regulated as a general product instead of as a medical device. Considering multiple potential impacts on a human brain, however, the need for independent regulation is urgent. South Korea also lacks legal provisions explicitly regulating TMS and tDCS, but they fall into the category of the grade 3 medical devices according to the notifications of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. And safety and efficacy of TMS are to be evaluated in compliance with the US FDA guidance. But no specific guidelines exist for tDCS yet. Given that tDCS devices are used in some hospitals in reality, and also at home by individual buyers, such a regulatory gap must quickly be addressed. In a longer term, legal system needs to be in place capable of independently regulating non-invasive brain stimulating devices.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.97-99
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• 2012

본 연구는 본 연구는 경두개직류자극(transcranial direct current stimulation)을 편마비 환자의 대뇌피질 운동영역에 적용하여 상지기능에 미치는 효과를 알아보고자 실시하였다. 뇌졸중으로 인해 편마비된 환자를 대상으로 두 군으로 구분하여 경두개직류자극과 일반적인 물리치료를 함께 시행하였고, 실험 전후의 두 군의 기능적 평가항목과 전기생리학적 평가를 함께 실시하였다. 통계처리 방법으로 실험 전 후 차이를 검증하였고, 모든 통계적 유의수준은 0.05로 하였다. 본 연구의 결과 실험군과 대조군에서 주관절 기능평가의 값과 손 기능 평가에서 치료 전, 후 값이 증가하였고 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다(p<0.05). 결론적으로, 경두개직류자극이 뇌졸중 환자의 상지기능에 변화에 효과적인 것으로 나타났다. 따라서, 임상에서 뇌졸중 환자를 대상으로 한 경두개직류자극의 활용 가능성에 대해 재활 관점에서의 추가적인 연구가 더욱 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.261-272
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• 2012

This study was conducted so as to examine which change tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) for improving working memory can make on the EEC of stroke patients. Among the patients who suffered for more than 6 months by hemiparalysis caused by stroke, 20 patients selected by MMSE and DST were randomly divided into I group (10 patients) fulfilled by only CCT and II group (10 patients) fulfilled by both tDCS and CCT for total 4 weeks, 30 minutes per a day, three times per a week. For examining EEC variation, the absolute spectrum power was calculated by three bands (${\theta}$; 4~8 Hz, lower ${\alpha}$; 8~10.5 Hz, upper ${\alpha}$;10.5~13 Hz) during the task of words, photos and mental calculation with EEC test, before the arbitration, after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks, so the rate of increase and decrease (%) for the reference EEC was obtained. As the results, the first, particular aspects different one another in three bands were detected according to the measuring period and task. The second, in the forth week, there was only a significant difference in lower ${\alpha}$-power of all tasks. Therefore, through the procedure measuring EEC of this study, the degree of working memory's damage can be expressed by numerical value and tDCS should be additionally helpful for brain damaged patients' perception rehabilitation.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2011

This study was to investigate the effect of improve forelimb sensorimotor function and neurotrophic factor(GAP-43) expression when differing an application time of tDCS in ischemic brain injury rat model(pre, $1^{st}$, $7^{th}$, $14^{th}$). Focal ischemic brain injury was induced in 80 Sprague-Dawley rats through middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) by 'Longa' method. And then experimental groups were randomly divided into four groups; GroupI: MCAO induction, GroupII: application of tDCS(10 min) after MCAO induction, GroupIII: application of tDCS(20 min) after MCAO induction, GroupIV: application of tDCS(30 min) after MCAO induction. Modified limb placing test and single pellet reaching test were performed to test forelimb sensorimotor function. And the histological examination was also observed through the immunohistochemistric response of GAP-43(growth-associated protein-43) in the cerebral cortex. In modified limb placing test, groupIII(p<0.05) showed significantly improve than the other groups on $14^{th}$). day. In single pellet reaching test, groupIII(p<0.01) and groupIV(p<0.05) significantly improved on $14^{th}$) day. And in immunohistochemistric response of GAP-43, group III showed significantly positive response than the other groups on $14^{th}$ day. These results suggest that the intensity(0.1 mA)/time(20 min) condition of tDCS application has a significant impact on the sensorimotor functional recovery in focal ischemic brain injury rat models.