Long-term repetitive transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with disorders of consciousness: a preliminary study.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of long-term repetitive transcranial direct current stimulation on patients with DOC in the subacute phase.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, controlled study, 33 patients were randomly assigned to the active or sham group, and 28 patients completed the study. Patients in the active group received anodal stimulation over the DLPFC, while patients in the sham group received placebo stimulation (20 min/day, 5 days/week, for 4 weeks).