Effects of differents montages of tDCS on funcionality in children with cerebral palsy type spatic hemiparesis: clinical trial randomized, placebo-controlled and double blind

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of different montages of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the primary motor cortex, associated with gait training on the functionality of children with cerebral palsy (CP) type Spastic hemiparesis. Materials and Methods: A population sample that will be part of this project will consist of 30 children with CP type spastic hemiparesis, aged five to twelve years. Children are randomly allocated into three groups (Group 1: tDCS the anode over the primary motor cortex and the catode on contralateral supraorbital region associated with the treadmill training; Group 2: Sham tDCS anode at the primary motor cortex and the cathode at the contralateral region supra orbital associated with treadmill training; Group3:. tDCS anode over the primary motor cortex of the injured hemisphere and cathodic stimulation in the contralateral primary motor cortex associated with treadmill training. Participants will be evaluated in three distinct periods (before, after and one month after the proposed training). The assessment shall consist of three-dimensional gait analysis, static balance, functional balance, functional performance, quality of life and electromyographic signals of the lower limbs. The trainings will be held for two consecutive weeks with five training sessions a week and last for 20 minutes per session. The transcranial stimulation will be held simultaneously to gait training with an intensity of 1 mA. The results will be statistically analyzed assuming a significance level of 0.05 (p <0.05).