Comparison of the effect of cerebellum tDCS and prefrontal on gait parameters, balance and fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis

Comparison of the effect of Cerebellum tDCS and Prefrontal tDCS on gait parameters, balance and fatigue in patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Clinical trial with a control group, parallel groups, double-blind, randomization with a simple pseudo-randomization method will be on 51 patients. Treatment will be 20 min of stimulation, 1.5 mA and balance exercises.

Men and women with MS living in Tehran who voluntarily want to participate in this study and meet the inclusion criteria, constitute the statistical population. This double-blind randomized clinical trial will be performed at Shahid Beheshti School of Rehabilitation of Medical Sciences.

Inclusion criteria: diagnosis of MS by a neurologist; MS type relapsing remitting and secondary progressive type; the EDSS score should be between 3.5 and 6.5; age range between 18 to 50 years. Exclusion criteria: severe mental and cardiac patients; cognitive impairment and severe depression; orthopedic disorders.

DLPFC tDCS group: The tDCS anodal will placed to stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left DLPFC) across the F3 region and the reference electrode across the right supraorbital region. cerebellum tDCS group: The tDCS anodal will placed 1-2 cm below and 3-4 cm laterally inion (right) to stimulate the right cerebellum and the reference electrode across buccinator muscle of the same side. In control group: The “Fade-in Short stimulation Fade-out (FiSsFo) approach” will be used to maintain the blinding integrity and thus will created the assumed initial cutaneous sensations. The electrodes will be randomly placed in the same positions for cerebellum or DLPFC stimulation. The stimulator will be turned off after 30seconds of stimulation without the participant’s knowledge.

Balance; gait parameters; fatigue

Hello, In the design of the study, 10 minutes for balance exercises was a typing mistake and it was 20 minutes of tDCS and balance exercises, and please correct it. Thanks.

Patients randomly will be assigned through simple pseudo-randomization procedures using computer-generated list of random numbers to one of the three groups: (1) the group will received a-tDCS over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and balance training, (2) the group will received a-tDCS over cerebellum and balance training and (3) the control group will received sham a-tDCS and balance training. The pseudo-randomized numbers of 1, 2 and 3 will be applied by one of the researchers to assign individuals to these groups

The data analyzer will be blinded to the allocation of patients to the two groups of intervention and control, and data collection will be done in a separate room to the treatment department also, patients will be blinded depending on the treatment they receive and each of them will be treated in a separate room.