TABLE 1.
Summary of included studies.
| Study (Author, Journal, Year) | Study design | Size N (IG/CG) | Age Mean ± SD (IG/CG) | Sex M/F | Time since stroke | Intervention | Area of stimulation | Current density | Sessions; intervals | Stimulation timing | Order of application | Outcome measures |
| Naro et al., 2021 | Retrospective | IG: 9 OG1: 15 OG2: 13 |
IG: 68 ± 4 OG1: 66 ± 5 OG2: 72 ± 4 |
IG: 4/5 OG1: 6/9 OG2: 5/8 |
IG: 10 ± 2 m OG1: 11 ± 3 m OG2: 8 ± 2 m |
IG: dstDCS + RAGT (on-RAGT) OG1: dstDCS + RAGT (post-RAGT) OG2: dstDCS + RAGT (pre-RAGT) |
A; PMA-affected side (C3/4) C; PMA-non affected side (C3/4) |
2.0 mA 35 cm2 0.057 mA/cm2 |
48 s; 8 weeks | ONLINE | dstDCS (first 10 min) + RAGT (50 min) | 10 MWT; 6 MWT; FAC; MI; Tinetti scale; FIM; MEP |
| Picelli et al., 2018 | RCT | IG: 10 OG: 10 |
IG: 62.6 ± 8.3 OG: 62.8 ± 11.8 |
IG: 7/3 OG: 6/4 |
IG: 67.1 ± 46.8 m OG: 51.9 ± 41.2 m |
IG: Anodal tDCS + tsDCS + RAGT OG: Cathodal tcDCS + tsDCS + RAGT |
IG: A; PMA-affected LE (Cz), C; OA-CL CG: A; cerebellar hemisphere (O1/2), C; buccinator muscle-IL |
2.0 mA 12.56 cm2 0.159 mA/cm2 |
10 s; 2 weeks | ONLINE | tDCS (20 min) + RAGT (20 min) | 6 MWT; FAC; MI; Gait analysis (cadence); ashworth scale |
| Picelli et al., 2015 | RCT | IG: 10 CG: 10 OG: 10 |
IG: 62.8 ± 11.8 CG: 61.0 ± 7.2 OG: 64.8 ± 6.0 |
IG: 7/3 CG: 8/2 OG: 7/3 |
IG: 51.9 ± 41.1 m CG: 54.8 ± 32.9 m OG: 61.3 ± 29.3 m |
IG: Anodal tDCS + tsDCS + RAGT CG: Sham tDCS + tsDCS + RAGT OG: Anodal tDCS + sham tsDCS + RAGT |
A; PMA-affected side (C3/4) C; OA-CL |
2.0 mA 35 cm2 0.057 mA/cm2 |
10 s; 2 weeks | ONLINE | tDCS (20m in) + RAGT (20 min) | 6 MWT; FAC; MI; Gait analysis (cadence); ashworth scale |
| Geroin et al., 2011 | RCT | IG: 10 CG: 10 OG: 10 |
IG: 63.6 ± 6.7 CG: 63.3 ± 6.4 OG: 61.1 ± 6.3 |
IG: 8/2 CG: 6/4 OG: 9/1 |
IG: 25.7 ± 6.0 m CG: 26.7 ± 5.1 m OG: 26.9 ± 5.8 m |
IG: Anodal tDCS + RAGT CG: Sham tDCS + RAGT OG: Walking exercises |
A; PMA-affected LE C; SOA-CL |
1.5 mA 35 cm2 0.043 mA/cm2 |
10 s; 2 weeks | ONLINE | tDCS (7 min) + RAGT (20 min) | 10 MWT; 6MWT; FAC; MI; Gait analysis (cadence); RMI |
| Madhavan et al., 2020 | RCT | IG: 21 CG: 20 OG1: 20 OG2: 20 |
IG: 58 ± 11 CG: 58 ± 10 OG1: 60 ± 9 OG2: 59 ± 9 |
IG: 14/7 CG: 11/9 OG1: 15/5 OG2: 15/5 |
IG: 4.3 ± 3.6 y CG: 6.1 ± 4.2 y OG1: 5.6 ± 3.6 y OG2: 5.9 ± 5.6 y |
IG: Anodal tDCS + HISTT CG: Sham tDCS + HISTT OG1: AMT + HISTT OG2: tDCS + AMT + HISTT |
A; PMA-affected LE C; SOA-CL |
1.0 mA 12.5 cm2 0.080 mA/cm2 |
12 s; 4 weeks | OFFLINE | tDCS (15 min) → HISTT (40 min) | 10 MWT; 6 MWT; BBS; TUGT; mini-BESTest; ABC; FMA; SIS; MEP |
| Manji et al., 2018 | Crossover | IG: 15 CG: 15 |
IG: 62.2 ± 10.1 CG: 63.7 ± 11.0 |
IG: 10/5 CG: 11/4 |
IG: 134.5 ± 55.7 d CG: 149.7 ± 24.2 d |
IG: Anodal tDCS + BWSTT CG: Sham tDCS + BWSTT |
A; SMA (3.5 cm anterior to Cz) C; EOC |
1.0 mA 25 cm2 0.040 mA/cm2 |
7 s; 1 week | ONLINE | tDCS (20 min) + BWSTT (20 min) | 10 MWT; TUGT; FMA; POMA; TCT |
| Seo et al., 2017 | RCT | IG: 11 CG: 10 |
IG: 61.1 ± 8.9 CG: 62.9 ± 8.9 |
IG: 9/2 CG: 7/3 |
IG: 75.5 ± 83.4 m CG: 152.5 ± 122.8 m |
IG: Anodal tDCS + RAGT CG: Sham tDCS + RAGT |
A; PMA-affected LE C; SOA-CL |
2.0 mA 35 cm2 0.057 mA/cm2 |
10 s; 2 weeks | OFFLINE | tDCS (20 min) → RAGT (45 min) | 10 MWT; 6 MWT; FAC; BBS; FMA; MRCS; MEP |
| Leon et al., 2017 | Active control | IG: 10 CG: 23 OG: 17 |
IG: 49 ± 9 CG: 49 ± 11 OG: 47 ± 11 |
IG: 6/4 CG: 17/6 OG: 12/5 |
IG: 53 ± 25 d CG: 64 ± 33 d OG: 56 ± 38 d |
IG: Anodal tDCS + RAGT CG: Sham tDCS + RAGT OG: Anodal tDCS (C3/4) + RAGT |
A; Cz C; SOA-Rt |
2.0 mA 35 cm2 0.057 mA/cm2 |
20 s; 4 weeks | ONLINE | tDCS (first 20 min) + RAGT (30 – 45 min) | 10 MWT; FAC |
| Mitsutake et al., 2021 | RCT | IG: 11 CG: 12 OG: 11 |
IG: 74.9 ± 9.2 CG: 67.3 ± 12.1 OG: 75.6 ± 11.0 |
IG: 6/5 CG: 9/3 OG: 4/7 |
IG: 44.6 ± 31.7 d CG: 37.1 ± 27.3 d OG: 34.6 ± 17.8 d |
IG: Anodal tDCS + FES CG: Sham tDCS + FES OG: Anodal tDCS |
A; PMA-affected LE C; SOA-CL |
2.0 mA 35 cm2 0.057 mA/cm2 |
7 s; 1 week | ONLINE | tDCS (20 min) + FES (20 min) | 10 MWT; Gait analysis (acceleration parameters) |
RCT, randomized controlled trial; IG, intervention group; CG, control group; OG, other group; tDCS, transcranial direct current stimulation; dstDCS, dual-site transcranial direct current stimulation; tcDCS, transcranial cerebellar direct current stimulation; tsDCS transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation; RAGT, robot-assisted gait training; HISTT, high-intensity speed-based treadmill training; AMT, ankle motor tracking; BWSTT, body weight-supported treadmill training; FES, functional electrical stimulation; A, anode; C, cathode; PMA, primary motor area; LE, lower extremity; OA, orbital area; CL, contralateral side; IL, ipsilateral side; SOA, supra-orbital area; SMA, supplementary motor area; EOC, exterior occipital crest; 10 MWT, 10-m walking test; 6 MWT, 6-min walking test; FAC, functional ambulatory category; MI, mobility index; FIM, functional independence measure; MEP, motor evoked potential; RMI, rivermead mobility index; BBS, berg balance scale; TUG, timed up and go test; mini-BESTest, mini-balance evaluation systems test; FMA, fugl-meyer assessment; ABC, activities-specific balance confidence scale; SIS, stroke impact scale; POMA, performance-oriented mobility assessment; TIS, trunk controltest; MRCS, medical research council scale.