Background: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has attracted significant attention as it has been proven to be effective in facilitating upper limb motor recovery in patients with stroke. This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of dual-site non-invasive brain stimulation (DS-NIBS) in improving upper extremity motor function after stroke.
Methods: A PRISMA systematic search was conducted for randomized controlled trials. Two authors independently extracted data, and the quality of included studies was assessed.
Results: Ten studies were included in the current review. DS-NIBS demonstrated a significant effect on upper extremity motor function impairment. However, only two studies showed no clear effects of DS-tDCS on upper extremity motor function after stroke. Due to the limited number of studies, the effects of DS-NIBS remain inconclusive.
Finding: This review found evidence for the relatively higher efficacy of DS-NIBS on post-stroke upper extremity motor function impairment, compared to the sham and SS-NIBS. Additionally, DS-TMS was found to generate better improvement than DS-tDCS.
Keywords: meta‐analysis; stroke; transcranial direct current stimulation; transcranial magnetic stimulation; upper extremity.
© 2024 The Author(s). Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.