TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcranial direct current stimulation over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves postural stability in non-specific chronic low back pain patients with high fear of pain
T2 - A randomized sham-controlled trial
AU - Ehsani, Fatemeh
AU - Masoudi, Mona
AU - Hedayati, Rozita
AU - Jaberzadeh, Shapour
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank the National Institute for Medical Research Development for their cooperation and for providing the facilities and funding for this work.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Deficits in postural stability in response to environmental challenges are seen in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients with high fear of pain (HFP). Hence, it is essential to follow effective approaches to treat postural stability deficits and improve the health status of these patients. The current study aimed to compare the effects of cathodal and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (c-tDCS and a-tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on postural stability in non-specific CLBP patients with HFP. In this randomized clinical trial study, 75 patients were randomly assigned to left DLPFC a-tDCS, left DLPFC c-tDCS and sham stimulation groups (n = 25 in each group). All groups received a single-session 2 mA tDCS for 20 min, but the stimulation was slowly turned off after 30 s in the sham group. Before, immediately, 24 h and 1 week after the interventions, postural stability indices were assessed using a Biodex Balance System. A significant reduction in most indices was shown in both a-tDCS and c-tDCS groups after interventions (immediately, 24 h and 1 week follow-up) during static and dynamic postural tasks compared with the sham tDCS group (p <.01). In addition, some tests showed a significant difference between a-tDCS and c-tDCS (p <.05). The findings indicated positive effects of both a-tDCS and c-tDCS on the left DLPFC, with more efficacy of a-tDCS on postural stability in LBP patients with HFP.
AB - Deficits in postural stability in response to environmental challenges are seen in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients with high fear of pain (HFP). Hence, it is essential to follow effective approaches to treat postural stability deficits and improve the health status of these patients. The current study aimed to compare the effects of cathodal and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (c-tDCS and a-tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on postural stability in non-specific CLBP patients with HFP. In this randomized clinical trial study, 75 patients were randomly assigned to left DLPFC a-tDCS, left DLPFC c-tDCS and sham stimulation groups (n = 25 in each group). All groups received a single-session 2 mA tDCS for 20 min, but the stimulation was slowly turned off after 30 s in the sham group. Before, immediately, 24 h and 1 week after the interventions, postural stability indices were assessed using a Biodex Balance System. A significant reduction in most indices was shown in both a-tDCS and c-tDCS groups after interventions (immediately, 24 h and 1 week follow-up) during static and dynamic postural tasks compared with the sham tDCS group (p <.01). In addition, some tests showed a significant difference between a-tDCS and c-tDCS (p <.05). The findings indicated positive effects of both a-tDCS and c-tDCS on the left DLPFC, with more efficacy of a-tDCS on postural stability in LBP patients with HFP.
KW - chronic low back pain
KW - dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
KW - fear of pain
KW - postural stability
KW - transcranial direct current stimulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85166432400&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/ejn.16090
DO - 10.1111/ejn.16090
M3 - Article
C2 - 37519282
AN - SCOPUS:85166432400
SN - 0953-816X
VL - 58
SP - 3315
EP - 3329
JO - European Journal of Neuroscience
JF - European Journal of Neuroscience
IS - 5
ER -