The effects of anodal-tDCS on cross-limb transfer in older adults
Data(s) |
01/11/2015
|
---|---|
Resumo |
OBJECTIVE: Age-related neurodegeneration may interfere with the ability to respond to cross-limb transfer, whereby bilateral performance improvements accompany unilateral practice. We investigated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would facilitate this phenomena in older adults. METHODS: 12 young and 12 older adults underwent unilateral visuomotor tracking (VT), with anodal or sham-tDCS over the ipsilateral motor cortex. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) assessed motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). Performance was quantified through a VT error. Variables were assessed bilaterally at baseline and post-intervention. RESULTS: The trained limb improved performance, facilitated MEPs and released SICI in both age groups. In the untrained limb, VT improved in young for both sham and anodal-tDCS conditions, but only following anodal-tDCS for the older adults. MEPs increased in all conditions, except the older adult's receiving sham. SICI was released in both tDCS conditions for young and old. CONCLUSION: Following a VT task, older adults still display use-dependent plasticity. Although no significant age-related differences between the outcome measures, older adults exhibited significant cross-limb transfer of performance following anodal-tDCS, which was otherwise absent following motor practice alone. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings provide clinical implications for conditions restricting the use of one limb, such as stroke. |
Identificador | |
Idioma(s) |
eng |
Publicador |
Elsevier |
Relação |
http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30074956/daly-theffects-inpress-2015.pdf http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30074956/goodwill-effectsofanodal-2015.pdf http://www.dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2015.01.006 |
Direitos |
2015, Elsevier |
Palavras-Chave | #Cortical plasticity #Cross-limb transfer #Intracortical inhibition #Ipsilateral motor cortex #Motor practice #tDCS |
Tipo |
Journal Article |