Gangemi Antonio, De Luca Rosaria, Fabio Rosa Angela, Bonanno Mirjam, Cardile Davide, Mignacca Maria Randazzo, Rifici Carmela, Corallo Francesco, Quartarone Angelo, Impellizzeri Federica, Calabrò Rocco Salvatore
IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
Department of Cognitive, Psychological and Pedagogical Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy.
Biomedicines. 2024 Oct 2;12(10):2244. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12102244.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive therapeutic method that modulates cortical excitability and shows promising results for treating disorders of consciousness (DoCs). Robotic verticalization training (RVT) has been shown to enhance motor and cognitive recovery. This study evaluates the effects of an innovative approach combining RVT with tDCS in individuals with DoCs.
Twenty-four subjects with DoCs, particularly those with chronic minimally conscious state (MCS) due to vascular or traumatic brain injury, participated in a quasi-randomized study at the Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Neurolesi (Messina, Italy). Participants were divided into either a control group (CG) receiving RVT alone or an experimental group (EG) receiving combined tDCS and RVT. Both groups underwent treatments five times weekly for four weeks, with tDCS/sham sessions over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) lasting 20 min before Erigo training sessions, which lasted 45 min.
The findings indicate that combining tDCS with Erigo Pro RTT could lead to greater improvements in cognitive functioning and P300 latency compared to the CG.
These results suggest that the integrated approach of tDCS with RVT could offer significant benefits for patients with MCS, highlighting its potential to enhance cognitive recovery, such as reducing P300 latency.
经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）是一种非侵入性治疗方法，可调节皮层兴奋性，在治疗意识障碍（DoC）方面显示出有前景的结果。机器人直立训练（RVT）已被证明可促进运动和认知恢复。本研究评估了一种将RVT与tDCS相结合的创新方法对意识障碍患者的影响。
24名意识障碍患者，特别是那些因血管性或创伤性脑损伤导致慢性最低意识状态（MCS）的患者，在意大利梅西纳IRCCS Neurolesi神经康复科参加了一项半随机研究。参与者被分为仅接受RVT的对照组（CG）或接受tDCS与RVT联合治疗的实验组（EG）。两组均每周接受5次治疗，持续4周，在持续45分钟的Erigo训练前，对背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC）进行20分钟的tDCS/假刺激治疗。
研究结果表明，与CG相比，将tDCS与Erigo Pro RTT相结合可在认知功能和P300潜伏期方面带来更大改善。
这些结果表明，tDCS与RVT的综合方法可能为MCS患者带来显著益处，突出了其增强认知恢复的潜力，如缩短P300潜伏期。
