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Effects of transcranial random noise stimulation combined with Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP) on motor rehabilitation of the upper limb in sub-acute ischemic stroke patients: a randomized pilot study

  • Neurology and Preclinical Neurological Studies - Short communication
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Abstract

We evaluated the combined use of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) with the Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP) in sub-acute ischemic stroke patients suffering from arm impairment. Eighteen ischemic stroke patients with upper limb disability were randomly assigned to either the GRASP + tRNS or GRASP + Sham stimulation group. Fugl-Meyer Assessment–Upper extremity (FMA–UE) was performed to evaluate upper limb impairment before treatment (T0), after the last stimulation (T1) and after 30 days (T2). At T1 and T2, beneficial effects in the tRNS group correlated with better FMA–UE score than sham stimulation group (p < 0.001) and these results did not correlate to stroke severity, because no associations were observed between National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and FMA UE T1 and T2. This study displayed a good feasibility and was the first to evaluate the use of tRNS in association with Grasp in sub-acute stroke survivors having arm impairment to improve arm motor recovery.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the patients who made this study possible.

Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D), University of Palermo, Via Gaetano La Loggia n.1, 90129, Palermo, Italy

    Valentina Arnao, Marianna Riolo, Francesca Carduccio, Marco D’Amelio, Filippo Brighina, Massimo Gangitano, Giuseppe Salemi, Paolo Ragonese & Paolo Aridon

  2. Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica (Di.Bi.M.I.S), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via del Vespro 129, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    Antonino Tuttolomondo

  3. Neurology Department, Fondazione Istituto Giuseppe Giglio, Contrada Pietrapollastra, Via Pisciotto, 90015, Cefalù (Palermo), Italy

    Valentina Arnao

  4. Struttua Complessa di Neurologia Ospedale Santa Croce di Moncalieri (TO)-Asl TO5, Piazza A. Ferdinando, 3, 10024, Moncalieri (TO), Italy

    Marianna Riolo

Authors
  1. Valentina Arnao
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  2. Marianna Riolo
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  3. Francesca Carduccio
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  4. Antonino Tuttolomondo
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  5. Marco D’Amelio
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  6. Filippo Brighina
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  7. Massimo Gangitano
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  8. Giuseppe Salemi
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  9. Paolo Ragonese
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  10. Paolo Aridon
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Contributions

VA participated to the conception and design of the work, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, and writing of the first draft of the manuscript. MR participated to acquisition of data, drafting the article, and revising it critically. FC participated to acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data. AT participated to interpretation of data and drafting the article and revising it critically. MD participated to interpretation of data and drafting the article and revising it critically. FB, participated to design of the work, drafting the article and revising it critically. MG, participated to acquisition of data, drafting the article and revising it critically. GS participated to interpretation of data and drafting the article and revising it critically. PR participated to analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article, and revising it critically. PA participated to design of the work, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafting the article.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paolo Aridon.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to report.

Ethics approval

The local Ethics Committee (Palermo 1) approved the experimental protocol. It was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

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Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

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Arnao, V., Riolo, M., Carduccio, F. et al. Effects of transcranial random noise stimulation combined with Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP) on motor rehabilitation of the upper limb in sub-acute ischemic stroke patients: a randomized pilot study. J Neural Transm 126, 1701–1706 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-019-02087-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-019-02087-9

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