The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the verbal working memory of amnesic patients with mild cognitive impairment / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To investigate if anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (atDCS) of the right cerebellum improves verbal working memory in amnesic persons with mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).Methods Thirty-nine aMCI were randomly divided into an observation and a control group using a random number table.The observation group was given atDCS at 1.2 mA for 20 minutes every day for 5 days,while the control group was provid ed with fake atDCS in the same way.Before and after the treatment,both groups were tested using forward and back ward digit spans,word reading,visually cued sensorimotor tests and finger tapping.Results After the treatment,the forward and backward digit spans of the observation group had improved significantly compared with before the treatment and with the control group's improvements.Significant improvement was observed in the average backward digit span of the control group,but not in their forward digit span after the treatment.No significant differences be tween the two groups were observed in the other measurements before or after the treatment.Conclusion Direct current stimulation of the cerebellum may improve the verbal working memory deficits of aMCI.Further research should be conducted to find the mechanism.

The efficacy of movement imagination with biofeedback for improving upper extremity dysfunction after stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To study the efficacy of movement imagination combined with biofeedback for stroke patients with upper extremity dysfunction. MethodsEighty stroke survivors were recruited and randomly divided into a movement imagination group ( n =40) and a movement imagination combined with biofeedback group ( n =40).Their EMG mean values during wrist dorsiflexion were amplified and calculated.Fugl-Meyer upper extremity function scores (FMAs) and the modified Barthl index (MBI) were recorded before and after 6 weeks of treatment.ResultsAfter 6 weeks of treatment the two groups had significantly higher mean EMG values,FMA scores and MBI scores,but the effects in the combination group were significantly better than those in the simple movement imagination group. ConclusionMovement imagination can be made more effective by combining it with biofeedback for promoting the recovery of stroke patients with upper extremity dysfunction.