Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40901773›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

tACS-combined motor training for the rehabilitation of the upper limb in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A randomized, sham-controlled trial protocol.

Viola Oldrati, Andrea Ciricugno, Renato Borgatti, Simona Orcesi, Elisa Fazzi, Jessica Galli, Verusca Gasparroni, Luigi Piccinini, Cristina Maghini, Zaira Cattaneo and 3 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06372041 (tACS-combined Motor Training for the Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb in Children and Young People With Cerebral Palsy), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06372041 naunknown statusnot on this map

tACS-combined Motor Training for the Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb in Children and Young People With Cerebral Palsy: a Randomized, Sham-controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorIRCCS Eugenio MedeaRan2024 to 2026Enrolled44ConditionsCerebral PalsyArmstranscranial Alternating Current Stimulation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Viola OldratiScientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7179-8767
Andrea CiricugnoDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8974-6778
Renato BorgattiDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Simona OrcesiDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Elisa FazziDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Jessica GalliDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Verusca GasparroniScientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy.
Luigi PiccininiScientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy.
Cristina MaghiniScientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy.
Zaira CattaneoDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy.
Maria ArioliDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5743-6743
Cosimo UrgesiScientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0572-1328
Alessandra FinisguerraScientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChildren with cerebral palsy (CP) commonly face gross motor function impairments and manual dexterity deficits, significantly affecting their activity level and independence and, ultimately, quality of life. Rehabilitation often targets improving manual dexterity and activity levels, but standard therapies have limited efficacy. Hence, exploring novel methods to enhance upper limb functionality is crucial. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), by delivering currents oscillating at specific frequencies syncing with the brain's electrical rhythms, has been demonstrated to modulate neural oscillations and motor behavior.

methodThis randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, pre-post test study involves 44 children and adolescents (6-17 yo) with CP treated in pairs, which will be randomly allocated to the experimental or control group receiving, respectively, active or sham fronto-cerebellar tACS delivered at the individual gamma frequency. After tACS, both groups will undergo bimanual training, including lower extremities (HABIT-ILE). Primary outcome measures will include the Assisting Hand Assessment, Box and Block Test, and a Visuomotor Task administered via computer for manual visuomotor control evaluation. Secondary outcomes will encompass the Children's Hand Experience Questionnaire, Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, Gross Motor Function Measure, Vineland version 2, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and EEG power recorded in fronto-central regions at rest before (at T0), soon after (at T1), and 3 months after the end of (T2) the training. Safety and tolerability will be assessed by pre- and post-tACS recordings of oxygen saturation and heart rate, along with self-report questionnaires on sensations and side-effects. DISCUSSION: This study investigates whether an intensive HABIT-ILE program combined with fronto-cerebellar gamma tACS can boost training effects on manual dexterity in children and adolescents with CP, while ensuring safety and tolerability throughout the intervention period.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06372041.

Indexed as

Cerebral PalsyTranscranial Direct Current StimulationUpper ExtremityAdolescentChildDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Identifiers

PMID40901773
PMCPMC12407442

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.