Transcranial direct current stimulation: electrode montage in stroke

Neurophysiological and computer modelling studies have shown that electrode montage is a critical parameter to determine the neuromodulatory effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We tested these results clinically by systematically investigating optimal tDCS electrode montage in stroke. Ten patients received in a counterbalanced and randomised order the following conditions of stimulation (i) anodal stimulation of affected M1 (primary motor cortex) and cathodal stimulation of unaffected M1 ('bilateral tDCS'); (ii) anodal stimulation of affected M1 and cathodal stimulation of contralateral supraorbital area ('anodal tDCS'); (iii) cathodal stimulation of unaffected M1 and anodal stimulation of contralateral supraorbital area ('cathodal tDCS'); (iv) anodal stimulation of affected M1 and cathodal stimulation of contralateral deltoid muscle ('extra-cephalic tDCS') and (v) sham stimulation. We used the Jebsen-Taylor Test (JTT) as a widely accepted measure of upper limb function. Bilateral tDCS, anodal tDCS and cathodal tDCS were shown to be associated with significant improvements on the JTT. Placing the reference electrode in an extracephalic position and use of sham stimulation did not induce any significant effects. This small sham controlled cross-over clinical trial is important to provide additional data on the clinical effects of tDCS in stroke and for planning and designing future large tDCS trials in patients with stroke.