Brain stimulation in attention deficits after traumatic brain injury: a literature review and feasibility study

Background After a traumatic brain injury, disturbances in the attentional processes have a direct negative effect on functional recovery and on return to complex activities. To date, there is no good attention remediation treatment available. The primary objective of this review and pilot study is...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pilot and feasibility studies 2021-05, Vol.7 (1), p.1-115, Article 115
Main Authors: Boissonnault, Ãve, Higgins, Johanne, LaGarde, Geneviève, Barthélemy, Dorothy, Lamarre, Céline, H. Dagher, Jehane
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attention
Brain
Brain injuries, Traumatic
Brain research
Cognitive ability
Consciousness
Convulsions & seizures
Feasibility studies
Injuries
Intervention
Magnetic resonance imaging
Memory
Rehabilitation
Transcranial direct current stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Trauma
Traumatic brain injury
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Summary:Background After a traumatic brain injury, disturbances in the attentional processes have a direct negative effect on functional recovery and on return to complex activities. To date, there is no good attention remediation treatment available. The primary objective of this review and pilot study is to provide an overview of the research evidence and to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a tDCS protocol to improve attention disorders in patients with mild complicated to severe subacute TBI, hospitalized in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Our secondary objective is to extract preliminary data and observational information on participants' response to treatment. Methods Participants were recruited from a consecutive series of patients admitted to the TBI unit of a subspecialized regional rehabilitation center. They received a 20-min tDCS stimulation 3 times a week for 3 weeks. A neuropsychological evaluation was performed before and after the intervention. We collected participants' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as information about satisfaction, tolerability, and adverse effects. Results One hundred sixty-four patients were admitted between September 2018 and January 2020. One hundred fifty-eight were excluded, and 6 patients with presumed attentional deficits were enrolled. None completed the protocol as intended. No major side effects occurred. Conclusion Non-invasive brain neurostimulation is promising to enhance attention deficits in patients with TBI. Implementation of a tDCS protocol to fulfill this purpose in an intensive inpatient rehabilitation center has its limitations. We made recommendations to facilitate the implementation of similar projects in the future. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN55243064. Registered 14 October 2020--retrospectively registered. Keywords: Attention, Brain injuries, Traumatic, Rehabilitation, Transcranial direct current stimulation, Transcranial magnetic stimulation
ISSN:2055-5784
2055-5784
DOI:10.1186/s40814-021-00859-3