P 082 – Effect of bilateral tDCS on functional balance and the Gait Profile score in a child with hemiparetic spastic cerebral palsy

Abstract

The effects of bilateral tDCS, with anodal stimulation over the motor cortex ispilateral to the brain lesion concomitantly to contralesional cathodal stimulation should be studied to better understand the possible effects of a bihemispheric balance. The objective of this study was verify the effect of bilateral tDCS on functional balance and gait profile score in a child with spastic cerebral palsy.Materials and methods: A 8-year-old child with right-side hemiparetic spastic cerebral palsy was the subject of this case report. The intervention consisted of ten sessions of treadmill training (20 minutes per session) combined with anodal tDCS (current; 1 mA) over C4 and cathode over C3. The child was evaluated before, after and one month after the end of intervention through PBS and GPS evaluation.Results: Better results on score of PBS were observed (before: 36; after: 43, follow up: 44). A better result was also observed regarding the GPS score (before: 12.4; after: 10.1; follow up: 10.9).Discussion and conclusion: The results of the present case report demonstrate that the bilateral tDCS was able to generate encouraging effects in a child with hemiparetic spastic cerebral palsy. Mainly in relation to GPS, with this value approaching the reference values ​​of normality Although the report of a single case does not allow drawing conclusions, the results are promising for the basis of the development of further studies.