Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39891195›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2025

Timing of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation to the nondominant primary motor cortex fails to modulate cortical hemodynamic activity and improve motor sequence learning.

Minxia Jin, Xiaomeng Xu, Ziwei Zhang, Weili Xia, Xiaoyu Lou, Zhongfei Bai

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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

6 authors.

Minxia JinDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, China.
Xiaomeng XuDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, China.
Ziwei ZhangDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, China.
Weili XiaDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, China.
Xiaoyu LouDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, China.
Zhongfei BaiDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, China. zhongfei@tongji.edu.cn.

Funding

Medical Innovation Research Project, the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 23Y11900600National Clinical Key Specialty Construction Project of China Z155080000004Shanghai Clinical Research Ward SHDC2023CRW018BShanghai Municipal Health Commission Clinical Research Program 20224Y0220Shanghai Rehabilitation Medical Research Center (Top Priority Research Center of Shanghai) 2023ZZ02027Shanghai Sailing Program, the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 22YF1443200
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe relative timing of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and motor practice holds potential importance in modulating cortical activity and facilitating behavioral performance.

methodA single-blind, randomized, cross-over experiment was conducted. Twenty healthy participants engaged in a sequential finger-tapping task with their left hand. High-definition anodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) was administered over the right primary motor cortex (M1) either during (concurrent-tDCS) or before the motor practice (prior-tDCS). A sham tDCS condition was also employed. The three tDCS conditions were separated by one-week intervals. Cortical hemodynamic activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), supplementary motor area (SMA), and M1 measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy, as well as motor performance assessed by number of correct sequences were examined before (T1), immediately after (T2), and 24 h after the practice (T3). The data was subjected to a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance.

resultsNo significant interaction or main effect of condition were found on motor performance. Regarding cortical hemodynamic activity, none of the regions of interest or channels exhibited a significant interaction effect or main effect of condition. No significant correlation between cortical activity and motor performance was found.

conclusionOur results cannot support the timing effect of single-session anodal tDCS on facilitating brain activity or improving motor performance. These results contribute to the growing body of evidence challenging the efficacy of a single session of exogenous stimulation as an adjunct to motor practice for promoting motor acquisition. Further research should explore alternative tDCS parameters, multiple sessions and various age groups.

Indexed as

HemodynamicsLearningMotor CortexTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultCross-Over StudiesFemaleHumansMalePrefrontal CortexPsychomotor PerformanceSingle-Blind MethodSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredTime FactorsYoung AdultFunctional near-infrared spectroscopyMotor learningTiming-dependent effectTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID39891195
PMCPMC11783929

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.