Case Reports in Neurology (Feb 2016)

Combination of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Improves Gait Ability in a Patient in Chronic Stage of Stroke

  • Takeshi Satow,
  • Tomotaka Kawase,
  • Atsushi Kitamura,
  • Yuki Kajitani,
  • Takuya Yamaguchi,
  • Nobuhiko Tanabe,
  • Reiko Otoi,
  • Taro Komuro,
  • Akira Kobayashi,
  • Hirokazu Nagata,
  • Tatsuya Mima

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1159/000444167
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 39 – 46

Abstract

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Background: Walking ability is important in stroke patients to maintain daily life. Nevertheless, its improvement is limited with conventional physical therapy in chronic stage. We report the case of a chronic stroke patient showing a remarkable improvement in gait function after a new neurorehabilitation protocol using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Case Presentation: A 62-year-old male with left putaminal hemorrhage suffered from severe right hemiparesis. He could move by himself with a wheelchair 1 year after the ictus. Anodal tDCS at the vertex (2 mA, 20 min) with NMES at the anterior tibialis muscle had been applied for 3 weeks. The Timed Up and Go test and 10-meter walk test improved after the intervention, which had been maintained for at least 1 month. Conclusion: This single case suggests the possibility that tDCS with NMES could be a new rehabilitation approach to improve the gait ability in chronic stroke patients.

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