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Does M1 anodal transcranial direct current stimulation affects online and offline motor learning in patients with multiple sclerosis?

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Abstract

Objective

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological diseases in the world. Due to structural and functional changes in central nerves system, the patients with MS may affected by sensory-motor learning deficits. The aims of the current study was to assess the effect of primary motor cortex (M1) anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) on online and offline motor learning in patients with MS.

Materials and methods

Thirty-nine patients with MS were randomly assigned in three groups: concurrent M1 a-tDCS and serial response time test (SRTT) (n=13), concurrent sham a-tDCS and SRTT (n=13) and SRTT-only control (n=13). The participants in all groups were asked to concurrently perform 20 minutes of SRTT. M1 a-tDCS group received 20-minute M1 a-tDCS (2 mA) concurrent with SRTT, while the a-tDCS was turned off after 30 seconds in the sham a-tDCS group. Response time (RT) and error rate (ER) during SRTT were assessed prior, during and 48 hours after the intervention.

Results

Online learning happened in all groups (P < 0.05), with more significant learning in M1 a-tDCS group as compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). However, offline learning was occurred only in M1 a-tDCS group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The findings indicate offline motor learning impairment in patients with MS. M1 a-tDCS may be used for enhancement of motor learning especially offline learning in patients with MS.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Research Center of Neuromuscular Rehabilitation of Semnan University of Medical Sciences and also the Clinical Research Development Unit of Kosar Educational and Research and Therapeutic Hospital of Semnan University of Medical Sciences for cooperation and providing facilities for this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Ward, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kosar Hospital, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

    Nooshin Masoudian

  2. Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

    Fatemeh Ehsani

  3. Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

    Monireh Nazari

  4. Discipline of Physiotherapy, Department of Rehabilitation, Nutrition and Sport, School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia

    Maryam Zoghi

  5. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Shapour Jaberzadeh

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  1. Nooshin Masoudian
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Correspondence to Fatemeh Ehsani.

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Informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Masoudian, N., Ehsani, F., Nazari, M. et al. Does M1 anodal transcranial direct current stimulation affects online and offline motor learning in patients with multiple sclerosis?. Neurol Sci 41, 2539–2546 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04359-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04359-9

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