Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35090554›Full record

ArticleTrials2022

Brain activity and upper limb movement analysis in children with Down syndrome undergoing transcranial direct current stimulation combined with virtual reality training: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Jamile Benite Palma Lopes, Isabela Marques Miziara, Danial Kahani, Rodolfo Borges Parreira, Natalia de Almeida Carvalho Duarte, Roberta Delasta Lazzari, Lucas Villalta Santos, Carlos Bandeira de Mello Monteiro, Deborah Carvalho da Silva Cardoso, Juliana de Oliveira Hassel Mendes and 7 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07044804 (Brain-directed Treatment to Improve Language in Adolescents and Young Adults With Down Syndrome), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 44% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07044804 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Brain-directed Treatment to Improve Language in Adolescents and Young Adults With Down Syndrome: the Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Coupled With Linguistic Training.

TypeinterventionalSponsorFloriana CostanzoRan2025 to 2026Enrolled36ConditionsDown SyndromeArmsActive Group (Active Anodal tDCS to the left IFG or Cathodal tDCS to the left IFG), Sham Group
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.

Jamile Benite Palma LopesHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. jamilepalma@yahoo.com.br.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1861-0790
Isabela Marques MiziaraTechnology Institute, School of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil.
Danial KahaniDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
Rodolfo Borges ParreiraHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Natalia de Almeida Carvalho DuartePostgraduate Program in Human Movement and Rehabilitation, Evangélical University of Goiás (UniEVANGELICA), Anapolis, GO, Brazil.
Roberta Delasta LazzariHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Lucas Villalta SantosBrazilian College of Osteopathy, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
Carlos Bandeira de Mello MonteiroSchool of Arts, Sciences and Humanities-EACH University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Deborah Carvalho da Silva CardosoPostgraduate Program in Human Movement and Rehabilitation, Evangélical University of Goiás (UniEVANGELICA), Anapolis, GO, Brazil.
Juliana de Oliveira Hassel MendesPostgraduate Program in Human Movement and Rehabilitation, Evangélical University of Goiás (UniEVANGELICA), Anapolis, GO, Brazil.
Vera Lucia Dos Santos AlvesHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Iransé Oliveira SilvaHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Luis Vicente OliveiraHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Bernard Arthur ConwayDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
Manuela GalliDepartment of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Veronica CimolinDepartment of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Claudia Santos OliveiraHealth Sciences Program, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Universidade Evangelica de Goiás · BRFaculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo · BRPolitecnico di Milano · ITUniversity of Strathclyde · GBInstituto Brasileiro de Osteopatia · BRUniversidade de São Paulo · BRUniversidade Federal do Pará · BR

Funding

National Council for Scientific and Technological Development 428292 / 2018-6
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChildren with Down syndrome have poorer functional and sensory skills compared to children with typical development. Virtual reality (VR) training could help improve these skills. Moreover, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has achieved promising results in terms of enhancing the effects of physical and sensory therapy by modulating cortical excitability. METHODS/

designTwo investigations are proposed: (1) an observational study with a convenience sample consisting of children with Down syndrome (group 1-cognitive age of 6 to 12 years according to the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence) and children with typical development 6 to 12 years of age (group 2). Both groups will undergo evaluations on a single day involving a three-dimensional analysis of upper limb movements, an analysis of muscle activity of the biceps and brachial triceps muscles and an analysis of visuospatial and cognitive-motor variables. (2) Analysis of clinical intervention: a pilot study and clinical trial will be conducted involving individuals with Down syndrome (cognitive age of 6 to 12 years according to the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence). The sample will be defined after conducting a pilot study with the same methodology as that to be used in the main study. The participants will be randomly allocated to two groups: An experimental group submitted to anodal tDCS combined with a VR game and a manual motor task and a control group submitted to sham tDCS combined with a VR game and a manual motor task. The training protocol will involve 10 sessions of active or sham tDCS during memory and motor task games. Three 20-min sessions will be held per week for a total of 10 sessions. Evaluations will be performed on three different occasions: pre-intervention, post-intervention (after 10 sessions) and follow-up (1 month after the intervention). Evaluations will consist of analyses of electroencephalographic signals, electromyographic signals of the biceps and triceps brachii, and the three-dimensional reconstruction of the reaching movement. The results will be analyzed statistically with the significance level set at 5% (p ≤ 0.05). DISCUSSION: The optimization of the results obtained with virtual reality training is believed to be related to the interactive experience with a wide range of activities and scenarios involving multiple sensory channels and the creation of exercises, the intensity of which can be adjusted to the needs of children. Therefore, the proposed study aims to complement the literature with further information on tDCS and VR training considering different variables to provide the scientific community with clinical data on this combination of interventions.

trial registrationBrazilian Clinical Trials Registry (REBEC) protocol number RBR-43pk59 registered on 2019 March 27 https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-43pk59 and Human Research Ethics Committee number 3.608.521 approved on 2019 September 30. Protocol version 2021 October 20. Any changes to the protocol will be reported to the committees and approved. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants by the clinical research coordinator and principal investigator.

Indexed as

Down SyndromeTranscranial Direct Current StimulationVirtual RealityBrainChildDouble-Blind MethodHumansObservational Studies as TopicPilot ProjectsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicUpper ExtremityBrain ActivityDown SyndromeTranscranial Direct Current StimulationUpper Limb MovementVirtual Reality

Identifiers

PMID35090554
PMCPMC8796535
OpenAlexW4210723184

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.