Publications by authors named "Liane John"
Background: The control of grip forces when moving a hand held object is impaired in patients with cerebellar degeneration. We asked the question whether after-effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the lateral cerebellum or M1 improved grip force control in cerebellar patients.
Methods: Grip force control while holding an object during cyclic arm movements was assessed in patients with pure cerebellar degeneration ( = 14, mean age 50.
Article Synopsis
- Several studies suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may help in rehabilitating individuals with cerebellar disease by targeting motor impairments.
- In a study comparing 20 patients with cerebellar degeneration, 20 age-matched controls, and 30 young controls, it was found that cerebellar patients did not gain any improvements from tDCS, regardless of the stimulation site (cerebellum or primary motor cortex).
- The results indicate that while tDCS shows promise, more research is necessary with larger groups and varied tasks to determine its effectiveness for rehabilitation in cerebellar disease.