Comparison of cognitive rehabilitation efficacy based on Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation with and without transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on improving the working memory of stroke patients.

Working memory deficit is one of the most common complaints in post-stroke patients. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the con-commitment use of unihemispheric concurrent dual-site a-tDCS (a-tDCSUHCDS), computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation and conventional (Single site) a-tDCS in comparison with computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation without tDCS on the working memory in stroke patients. 32 participants (21 males and11 females; age range 40-65years) with subacute stroke were selected by purposeful sampling method & randomly assigned to three experimental conditions and a controlled group with sham stimulation. All groups completed sessions of the Dual N-back training task. A-tDCSUHCDS group received anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC and M1 and conventional (Single site) a-tDCS group received anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that the a-tDCSUHCDS group had the larger improvement in working memory tasks after the intervention. Also, at the 8-weeks follow-up, the a-tDCSUHCDS group still had larger improvements in mentioned tasks. These results indicated that there may be potential for the concomitant use of a-tDCSUHCDS and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation by increasing the excitability of the cortical network of brain regions that play an important role in executive functions, to enhance the efficiency of the cognitive rehabilitation programs of the stroke patients.