Adding transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to visual scanning training does not enhance treatment effect on hemispatial neglect: a randomized, controlled, double-blind study

Background: Left-sided transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) increases right hemispheric activity, which may improve the rehabilitative outcome of hemispatial neglect.Objective: To examine the behavioral effect of electrical stimulation of the nerve afferents of the left hand during early neuropsychological rehabilitation of post-stroke patients with hemispatial neglect.Methods: This randomized, controlled, double-blind study included 29 patients (enrolled in the experimental or control group) with left hemispatial neglect after right hemispheric stroke. For 3 weeks, patients received 15 therapeutic sessions involving TENS (active or sham) with a mesh glove applied on the entire left hand during the first 30 minutes of a 45-minute conventional visual scanning training (VST). Signs of hemispatial neglect were assessed using a psychometric test before and after treatment.Results: Univariate analysis of covariance revealed that differences between the control and experimental groups were not sig...