Abstract

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Title:: Simulation and comparative study of different modes of transcranial direct current stimulationintervention in stroke

Author(s):: LIU Mengmeng1; YU Hongli2; 1. School of Information and Electrical Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China; 2. School of HealthSciences and Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China

Keywords:: transcranial direct current stimulation; stroke; realistic head model; finite element simulation

Abstract:: Objective To analyze the cortical current distribution in stroke patients during anodal, cathodal and bi-hemispherictranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) interventions for providing a theoretical basis for the application of differentmodes of tDCS in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Methods The 4 layers of head tissue structures including scalp, skull,cerebrospinal fluid and brain were reconstructed using MRI data, and assembled into a realistic head model using finiteelement simulation software. Then, the stroke lesion was constructed in the brain model, and the anode and cathodeelectrodes were constructed on the scalp model. Finally, the effective stimulation area, effective stimulation depth, andefficiency of anodal, cathodal and bi-hemispheric tDCS in the brain were simulated and analyzed. Results The results ofsimulation analysis showed that anodal tDCS had the strongest focusability and highest stimulation efficiency, while bipolartDCS had the largest effective stimulation depth. In addition, the peak current densities generated by different modes of tDCSwere all located at the boundary of the lesion area, and the effective stimulation areas inside the brain were also located at thelesion area. Conclusion tDCS is a promising treatment for rehabilitation following stroke. The simulation results indicate thatanodal and bi-hemispheric tDCS may have superior stimulation effects than cathodal tDCS.