Table 1 Characteristics and design of the included studies
| Author (year) | Study design | Intervention | Groups | Treatment | Parameters | Outcomes |
n° sessions (s) Sessions/week (s/w) | Follow-up | Adverse effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geroin C. et al. (2011)297 | RCT Double-blinded | RAGT + tDCS |
G1) RAGT + tDCS G2) RAGT + sham tDCS G3) Overground-walking exercises | 7 min tDCS online + 20 min RAGT + 30 leg strengthening exercise |
35 cm2 Anode M1 affected, cathode contralateral SO 1.5 mA. CD = 0.05 mA/cm2 |
6MWT, 10MWT, SGP, Rivermead Mobility Index, MI leg, MAS |
10 s 5 s/w | 2 weeks | No adverse events reported |
| Hesse S. et al. (2011)2830 | RCT Double-blinded | Arm robot + anodal tDCS |
G1) Arm robot + anodal tDCS G2) Arm robot + cathodal tDCS G3) Arm robot + sham tDCS | 20 min anodal or cathodal tDCS online + Arm Robot training |
35 cm2 G1) Anode M1 affected, cathode contralateral SO G2) Cathode M1 unaffected, contralateral SO 2 mA. CD = 0.07 mA/cm2 | FM/ue, MRC, MAS, BI, B&B |
30 s 5 s/w | 3 months | Tingling under the electrodes and transient headaches |
| Danz et al. (2013)2931 | RCT Double-blinded | Anodal tDCS + Lokomat |
G1) Anodal tDCS + Lokomat G2) Sham tDCS + Lokomat |
20 min anodal tDCS + 20–40 min Lokomat (20–50% body support) |
25 cm2: Anode M1 affected 35 cm2: Cathode contralateral SO 2 mA. CD = 0.05 mA/cm2 | 10MWT, TUG, BBS, FAC, SIS-16 |
12 s 3 s/w | 1 months | No adverse events reported |
| Triccas et al. (2015)3032 | RCT Double-blinded | Anodal tDCS + RT |
G1) Anodal tDCS + RT G2) Sham tDCS + RT | 20 min Anode tDCS online + 1 h Armeo robotic training |
35 cm2 Anode M1 affected Cathode contralateral SO 1 mA. CD = 0.035 mA/cm2 | FM/ue, ARAT, MAL-28, SIS |
18 s 2-3 s/w | 3 months |
tDCS sensation: itching, tingling, warmth, burning, pain, light flashes and headaches RT: fatigue, shoulder pain and upper trapezius pain on the affected side |
| Straudi S et al. (2016)3133 | RCT Double-blinded | tDCS + upper extremity robot-assisted |
G1) tDCS + robot-assisted G2) Sham tDCS + robot-assisted |
30 min tDCS + 30 min upper extremity robot-assisted |
35 cm2 Anode M1 affected, cathode M1 contralateral hemisphere, 1 mA. CD = 0.035 mA/cm2 |
FM/ue, B&B MAL-14 | 10 s, 5 s/w | Immediately Post-intervention |
Skin redness, under the site of stimulation (5/1) Headache (1/1) Sleepiness (1/0) Neck pain (0/1) (tDCS/sham-tDCS) |
|
Seo HG et al (2017)3234 | Pilot RCT, double-blinded | tDCS + RAGT |
G1) tDCS + RAGT G2) Sham + RAGT | 20 min de tDCS + 45 min RAGT |
35 cm2 Anode: M1 (leg area) affected. Cathode: contralateral SO 2 mA. CD = 0.07 mA/cm2 |
FAC, 10MWT, 6MWT, BBS, FMA-LE, MRC EMG activity: MEP |
10 s 5 s/w | 4 weeks | No mention |
| Mazzoleni S, et al. (2017)3335 | RCT Single blind | tDCS + wrist RT |
G1) tDCS + robot-aided G2) Sham + robot aided |
20 min tDCS online + 30 min RT |
35 cm2 Anode: M1 (hand area) affected. Cathode contralateral orbit 2 mA. CD = 0.07 mA/cm2 |
(FM/ue, FM/w), MAS, MI, B&B Kinematic data |
30 s 5 s/w | Immediately Post-intervention | No adverse events reported |
| Dehem et al. (2018)3436 | RCT Double blind crossover | robot upper limb + real tDCS |
G1) robot upper limb + real tDCS G2) robot upper limb + Sham tDCS |
20 min tDCS/sham online + RT |
35 cm2 Anode M1 affected, Cathode M1 unaffected 1 mA. CD = 0.035 mA/cm2 |
B&B, PPT Upper limb kinematics |
2 s 1 s/w | Immediately Post-intervention | No adverse events reported |
| Edwards et al. (2019)3537 | RCT Double blind | tDCS + Robot |
G1)Sham + Robot G2) tDCS + Robot | 20 min tDCS/sham + 1 h RT |
35 cm2 Anode M1 affected (5 cm lateral to the vertex) Cathode: contralateral SO 2 mA. CD = 0.07 mA/cm2 | FM/ue, Wolf Motor Function Test, BI, MRC, SIS, EMG activity: MEP |
36 s 3 s/w | 6 months | Headache, burning sensation, sleepiness, tingling, redness, trouble concentrating |
| Mazzoleni et al. (2019)3638 | RCT Single blind | tDCS + wrist robot-assisted training |
G1) Sham + robot G2) tDCS + robot |
20 min tDCS/sham online + 30 min wrist robot-assisted training |
35 cm2 Anode: M1 affected Cathode: contralateral orbit bone 2 mA. CD = 0.07 mA/cm2 | FM/ue, FM/w MAS/w, MI, B&B. Wrist kinematic parameters |
30 s 5 s/w |
Immediately Post-intervention | No adverse event reported |