Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38671775›Full record

ArticleBioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)2024

Direct Current Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex, Cerebellum, and Spinal Cord to Modulate Balance Performance: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Jitka Veldema, Teni Steingräber, Leon von Grönheim, Jana Wienecke, Rieke Regel, Thomas Schack, Christoph Schütz

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 14% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  5. Bioengineering of the Motor System.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
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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

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jitka VeldemaFaculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
Teni SteingräberFaculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.ORCID 0009-0006-5735-1727
Leon von GrönheimFaculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
Jana WieneckeDepartment of Exercise and Health, Paderborn University, 33098 Paderborn, Germany.
Rieke RegelFaculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
Thomas SchackFaculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
Christoph SchützFaculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
Bielefeld University · DEPaderborn University · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesExisting applications of non-invasive brain stimulation in the modulation of balance ability are focused on the primary motor cortex (M1). It is conceivable that other brain and spinal cord areas may be comparable or more promising targets in this regard. This study compares transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over (i) the M1, (ii) the cerebellum, and (iii) trans-spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) in the modulation of balance ability.

methodsForty-two sports students were randomized in this placebo-controlled study. Twenty minutes of anodal 1.5 mA t/tsDCS over (i) the M1, (ii) the cerebellum, and (iii) the spinal cord, as well as (iv) sham tDCS were applied to each subject. The Y Balance Test, Single Leg Landing Test, and Single Leg Squat Test were performed prior to and after each intervention.

resultsThe Y Balance Test showed significant improvement after real stimulation of each region compared to sham stimulation. While tsDCS supported the balance ability of both legs, M1 and cerebellar tDCS supported right leg stand only. No significant differences were found in the Single Leg Landing Test and the Single Leg Squat Test.

conclusionsOur data encourage the application of DCS over the cerebellum and spinal cord (in addition to the M1 region) in supporting balance control. Future research should investigate and compare the effects of different stimulation protocols (anodal or cathodal direct current stimulation (DCS), alternating current stimulation (ACS), high-definition DCS/ACS, closed-loop ACS) over these regions in healthy people and examine the potential of these approaches in the neurorehabilitation.

Indexed as

balancecerebellumhealthy peoplepostural controlprimary motor cortexspinal cordtDCStsDCS

Identifiers

PMID38671775
PMCPMC11048454
OpenAlexW4393931773

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.