One of the most common symptoms in stroke patients is spasticity. The aims were to investigate the effects of anodal trans-cranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) over the affected primary motor cortex (M1) on ankle plantar flexor spasticity and dorsiflexor muscle activity in stroke patients. The design of this study was a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial. Thirty-two participants with stroke were randomly assigned to three groups (experimental, sham, control groups). Participants in the experimental and sham groups received 10-session 20-min M1 a-tDCS concurrent with physical therapy (PT), while the control group only received 10-session PT. All groups were instructed to perform home stretching exercises and balance training. Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) of plantar flexors, and EMG activity of lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and tibialis anterior (TA) were recorded during active and passive ankle dorsiflexion immediately and 1 month after interventions. A significant reduction was shown in MAS and EMG activity of LG during dorsiflexion, immediately and 1 month after intervention in the M1 a-tDCS group (p <0.001). BBS also significantly increased only in the M1 a-tDCS group (p <0.001). In addition, EMG activity of TA during active dorsiflexion increased immediately and 1 month after intervention in the M1 a-tDCS group (p <0.001). However, in the sham and control groups, EMG activity of TA increased immediately (p<0.001), while this was not maintained 1 month after intervention (p >0.05). PT concurrent with M1 a-tDCS can significantly prime lasting effects of decreasing LG spasticity, increasing TA muscle activity, and also balance in stroke patients.

中风患者最常见的症状之一是痉挛。目的是研究阳极经颅直流电刺激 (a-tDCS) 对受影响的初级运动皮层 (M1) 的影响，对中风患者的踝关节跖屈肌痉挛和背屈肌活动的影响。本研究的设计是一项随机的假手术对照临床试验。三十二名中风参与者被随机分配到三组（实验组、假手术组、对照组）。实验组和假手术组的参与者在物理治疗 (PT) 的同时接受了 10 次 20 分钟的 M1 a-tDCS，而对照组仅接受了 10 次 PT。指导所有组进行家庭伸展运动和平衡训练。Berg 平衡量表 (BBS)，足底屈肌改良 Ashworth 量表 (MAS)，在干预后立即和 1 个月，在主动和被动踝关节背屈过程中记录外侧腓肠肌 (LG) 和胫骨前肌 (TA) 的肌电图活动。在 M1 a-tDCS 组中，即刻和干预后 1 个月，在背屈过程中，LG 的 MAS 和 EMG 活动显着降低。p <0.001）。BBS 也仅在 M1 a-tDCS 组中显着增加 ( p <0.001)。此外，在 M1 a-tDCS 组干预后立即和 1 个月，TA 在主动背屈期间的 EMG 活动增加（p <0.001）。然而，在假手术组和对照组中，TA 的 EMG 活动立即增加（p <0.001），而在干预后 1 个月并没有保持（p >0.05）。PT 与 M1 a-tDCS 并发可显着引发降低 LG 痉挛、增加 TA 肌肉活动以及中风患者平衡的持久效应。