Table 3.
Characteristics of study outcomes.
| Study | Intervention | Measurement tool/outcome measure(s) | Measurement time | Results | Conclusion | Blinding efficacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaski et al. (2013) | tDCS + physical training | Six meter walk: speed, stride length, CoV of stride length; TUG: duration; Retropulsion test: duration to recovery |
Before and immediately after one session of stimulation | Six meter walking: speed ↑, stride length ↓, CoV of stride length ↑; TUG: duration ↓; Retropulsion test: duration to recovery ↓; |
Balance: ↑ | N/A |
| Manor et al. (2015) | tDCS | Sixty seconds standing in ST and DT: sway speed, sway area; Fifty meter walking in ST and DT: walking speed; |
Before and immediately after one session of stimulation | Standing: ST: sway area →, sway speed →; DT: sway area ↓, sway speed ↓; Walking: ST: walking speed →; DT: walking speed ↑; |
Balance in ST: → Balance in DT: ↑ |
p = 0.29 |
| Saeys et al. (2015) | tDCS | Tinetti test: total score; |
Before and immediately after one session of stimulation | Tinetti test: total score ↑; |
Balance: ↑ | N/A |
| Zhou et al. (2015) | tDCS | Sixty seconds standing in ST and DT: sway complexity |
Before and immediately after one session of stimulation | ST: sway complexity → DT: sway complexity ↑ |
Balance in ST: → Balance in DT: ↑ |
N/A |
| Ehsani et al. (2017) | tDCS | Dynamic and static balance test: APSI, MLSI, OSI; BBS: total score; |
Before, immediately after, and 48 h after one session of stimulation | Dynamic and static balance: APSI ↑, MLSI ↑, OSI ↑; BBS: total score ↑ |
Balance: ↑ | N/A |
| Kaminski et al. (2017) | tDCS | DBT: duration to maintain balance on a movable platform | During, and one day after the stimulation | Time to maintain balance: → | Balance: → | N/A |
| Manor et al. (2018) | tDCS | TUG: duration; Sixty seconds standing in ST and DT: sway speed, sway area; Fourteen foot walking in ST and DT: speed, stride time, CoV of stride time |
Before and immediately after one session of stimulation, and after ten sessions of stimulation | TUG: duration → →; Standing: ST: sway speed → →, Sway area → →; DT: sway speed ↓↓, sway area ↓↓, dual task costs ↓↓; Walking: ST: all metrics → →; DT: speed →, stride time ↓, CoV of stride time ↓; |
Balance in ST: → Balance in DT: ↑ |
p = 0.39 |
| Nomura and Kirimoto (2018) | tDCS | AP and ML standing postural sway during arm upward task: sway speed, RMS, path length |
Before, immediately after, and 15 min after stimulation | AP direction: sway velocity ↓↓, path length ↓↓, RMS → → ML direction: sway velocity → →, path length ↓↓, RMS → → |
Balance: ↑ | N/A |
| Yosephi et al. (2018) | tDCS + postural training; | Dynamic and static balance test: APSI, MLSI, OSI; BBS: Total score; |
Before and after six sessions of stimulation | Dynamic and static balance: APSI ↑, MLSI ↑, OSI ↑; BBS: total score ↑ |
Balance: ↑ | p = 0.98 |
| Zhou et al. (2018) | tDCS | TUG: duration; | Before and immediately after one session of stimulation | TUG: duration → | Balance: → | p = 0.51 |
tDCS, transcranial direct stimulation; ST, single task; DT, dual task; AP, anterioposterior; ML, mediolateral; TUG, timed up and go; APSI, anterior-posterior stability index; MLSI, medial-lateral stability index; OSI, overall stability index; BBS, berg balance scale; DBT, dynamic balancing task; RMS, root mean square.
↑: increase; ↓: decrease; → : no effect.