To explore whether Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of left or right parietal lobes would improve static postural control. Whether the right stimulation would improve postural control under eye open (EO) condition and the left stimulation under eyes closed (EC) condition.
A single-blind randomized crossover experimental design was used. 15 healthy right-handed adults (22.47±2.17 years; 1.69±0.08m; 68.35±11.82kg) were recruited for unilateral tDCS and sham stimulation. All participants completed the unilateral stance test (US)(left and right) under EO and EC conditions before and immediately after each intervention. The mean COG sway velocity from US under four different conditions (left-EO, left-EC, right-EO, right-EC) were generated. Two-way repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used for the dependent variables. Fisher’s post hoc tests were used to determine differences between sessions as well as before and after intervention in case of significant ANOVA results.
For right-EC conditions, the main effect of time was significant (F(1，14)=6.022，P=0.028, ηp2=0.301) and post hoc tests revealed there is no significant change before and after true and sham stimulation (P>0.05). In other conditions, there are no significant main effects of time, group, or interaction effects (P>0.05).
In this study, it was not found that left or right parietal tDCS could improve the static postural control of healthy young people.
Sensory information processing are one of the important factors to maintain stability. If tDCS applied to the parietal lobe could enhance sensory information processing, it would enable the formulation of more precise rehabilitation programs. Although no effect of parietal lobe tDCS on static postural control was found in this study, future studies can further explore whether parietal lobe tDCS can improve dynamic postural control or sensory organization function.
transcranial direct current stimulation
parietal lobe
