Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with virtual reality mobility training on the posture of children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled, double-blind, clinical trial

• Grant number: 14/14600-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 29, 2014
• End date: October 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Santos Oliveira
• Grantee: Roberta Delasta Lazzari
• Supervisor: Manuela Galli
• Host Institution: Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE). Campus Memorial. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Politecnico di Milano, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/05573-9 - Evaluation of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Associated Mobility Training with Virtual Reality About Balance Static and Functional Children with Cerebral Palsy: Clinical Trial Randomized Controlled, Double Blind, BP.MS

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the proposed study is to investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation over the primary motor cortex combined with mobility training involving virtual reality on the posture of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Materials and Methods: The sample will consist of 20 children with CP aged four to 12 years. The children will be randomly allocated to two groups: a control group submitted to mobility training using virtual reality combined with placebo transcranial stimulation placebo and an experimental group submitted to mobility training using virtual reality combined with active transcranial stimulation. Evaluations will be conducted on three occasions (pre-intervention, post-intervention and one month after intervention). Posture will be evaluated using the D - SMART ® 140 System (BTS Engineering), involving eight cameras with an infrared-sensitive response spectrum and the SMART-D INTEGRATED WORKSTATION®, with 32 analog channels synchronized to a force plate and electromyograph (FREEMG®-BTS Engineering) under four conditions: feet on the platform with eyes open, feet on the platform with eyes closed, feet on foam-rubber mat eyes open and feet on foam-rubber mat with eyes closed. Each reading will last 30 seconds. The results will be statistically analyzed with the significance level set to 5% (p d 0.05).Keywords: Cerebral palsy, child, physiotherapy, cerebral cortex, electrical stimulation, static and dynamic balance. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LAZZARI, ROBERTA DELASTA; POLITTI, FABIANO; SANTOS, CIBELE ALMEIDA; LOPES DUMONT, ARISLANDER JONATHAN; REZENDE, FERNANDA LOBO; COLLANGE GRECCO, LUANDA ANDRE; BRAUN FERREIRA, LUIZ ALFREDO; OLIVEIRA, CLAUDIA SANTOS. Effect of a single session of transcranial direct-current stimulation combined with virtual reality training on the balance of children with cerebral palsy: a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, v. 27, n. 3, p. 763-768, MAR 2015. (14/14600-2, 13/05573-9)