Investigation the concurrent effects of multi-session anodal tDCS and postural training on postural stability and functional balance in patients with multiple sclerosis: cerebellum versus dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation.

Narges Jahantigh Akbari, Nahid Tahan, Sedigheh Sadat Naimi, Mohammad Yousefi, Yaghoub Shavehei, Teddy Caderby, Andisheh Bastani

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial

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In one paragraph

Trial report in Brain structure & function, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it

–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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on motor function in patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
Pooled it

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.

Narges Jahantigh AkbariDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand street, Emam Hossein square, Tehran, Iran.

Nahid TahanDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand street, Emam Hossein square, Tehran, Iran. nahidta2431@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2457-8056

Sedigheh Sadat NaimiPhysiotherapy Research Center, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Mohammad YousefiDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand street, Emam Hossein square, Tehran, Iran.

Yaghoub ShaveheiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Teddy CaderbyLaboratory IRISSE, EA4075, Faculty of Human and Environment Sciences, University of La Réunion, Le Tampon, Réunion, France.

Andisheh BastaniSchool of health sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) often encounter challenges with postural stability and balance. This research investigated the impact of anodal trans-cranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) to either dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) or cerebellum concurrent with postural training on postural stability and functional balance in MS individuals. In this study that was double-blind, randomized, and sham control, 57 participants with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ranging from 3.5 to 5 were allocated randomly into three groups: One group a-tDCS over cerebellum, another a-tDCS over DLPFC, and the third sham a-tDCS. Subjects in the a-tDCS experimental groups underwent 1.5 mA stimulation over a 20-minute duration alongside postural training. However, in the group receiving sham a-tDCS, the stimulation was stopped following 30 seconds. Treatment was conducted for ten sessions over four weeks. Before and after the intervention, postural stability or center of pressure (COP) sways, and functional balance were evaluated utilizing force plate, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG(, respectively. It was reported that the combination of postural training and cerebellar a-tDCS resulted in improved postural stability including sway speed in anterior-posterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions with eyes closed and opened, sway area in ML direction with eyes closed and opened (p < 0.05), BBS (p < 0.05) and TUG scores (p < 0.05) when contrasted with the other groups. Additionally, the impact of DLPFC a-tDCS was higher than sham a-tDCS on postural stability, BBS and TUG scores, while the variations were not significant (P >0.05). Moreover, no variables exhibited changes in the sham group. The results showed that a-tDCS targeting the cerebellum could enhance balance and postural stability in MS patients.Trial registration number: This study was part of thesis that underwent registration within the Iranian Center for Clinical Trials' registry (Registration Number: IRCT20220111053689N2, www.irct.ir ).

Indexed as

CerebellumDorsolateral Prefrontal CortexExercise TherapyMultiple SclerosisPostural BalanceTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeBalanceCenter of pressureMultiple sclerosisPostural stabilityTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID41128946

DOI10.1016/j.brs.2014.03.010

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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.