Brain Function for Evaluating Post Stroke Recovery Following Robot-Assisted Gait Training and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation( II )

Two-year project was development for people with stroke. The first year project is carried out currently. This is the second year project. The change of cortical function and cortical excitability following the intervention of traditional rehabilitation, Robot-assisted gait training system (RGTS), and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in this second year project. In this two year projects focus on neuroimaging techniques that study cortical function and brain activity after RGTS and tDCS intervention. During the period of two years, forty chronic stroke subjects participated in the study. We divided subjects of stroke into four groups: traditional rehabilitation group; RGTS plus traditional rehabilitation group; tDCS plus traditional rehabilitation group; combined RGTS, tDCS and traditional rehabilitation group. All rehabilitation protocol consisted of four week, 12 sessions, and 90 minutes program. Cortical function and activity will be assessed by functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI), Diffusion tensor image (DTI), Transcranial magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and etc. In this second project, we will continue to investigate the change of cortical function and cortical excitability following RGTS and tDCS on individuals with chronic stroke via repetitive training and neuromodulation mechanisms. The preliminary data of our first year project (from August first 2015 to now) showed that there were different exciting area and intensity of brain, which was measured by Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), fMRI and TMS, after traditional treadmill training and RGTS intervention. In addition, the intervention of four group of stroke survivors were also carried on according to the first year project. However, our pilot data are still sparse. There is, therefore, a need to conduct longer duration studies, with including more patients in the remaining study of the first year and this second year project, to get more solid results We expect the study can help us to further exploration of the change of cortical function and cortical excitability following RGTS and tDSC intervention in subjects with chronic stroke. In addition, the results of this project will be provided for further rehabilitation programs in people with stroke.