Mild brain stimulation therapy helps MS patients’ walking, balance
Noninvasive technique helps adults walk farther with better balance
Written by |
Difficulty walking is a symptom of MS. (Photo by iStock)
A noninvasive brain stimulation technique may help adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) walk farther and improve their balance, a review study found.
The therapy, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), was especially effective when used at higher intensities for 20 minutes. Evidence of its benefits for fine hand movements — another measure the researchers sought to evaluate — was inconclusive, however.
“These findings provide empirical support for parameter-specific prescription of tDCS,” the researchers wrote. “Future trials should adopt standardized, parameter-optimized protocols, incorporate larger sample sizes, and include extended follow-up to confirm long-term efficacy.”
The study, “Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on motor function in patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in Neurological Sciences.
MS is a progressive disease affecting the brain and spinal cord. MS symptoms include cognitive impairment, difficulty picking up small items, and problems with walking and maintaining balance, which can increase the risk of falls.
Researchers probe treatment’s effectiveness
tDCS uses a weak electrical current delivered via electrodes placed on the scalp to restore the brain’s activity. Previous studies have reported benefits with this approach in terms of nonmotor and motor symptoms.
However, “critical questions remain unanswered: whether tDCS benefits extend to upper limb fine motor control, and which stimulation intensity and duration optimize clinical response,” the researchers wrote.
The team in China systematically reviewed studies published up to December 2025 that reported results from appropriately controlled trials testing tDCS in people with MS.
They identified 10 eligible studies involving 299 adults with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), in which symptoms come and go, or secondary progressive MS, a phase following RRMS in which disability gradually worsens over time.
The studies’ sample sizes ranged from 12 to 54 participants. Most studies included patients with moderate to moderately severe functional impairment. Eight studies compared participants receiving different interventions in parallel — for example, tDCS alone versus combined with physical training — while two used a crossover design, meaning patients received both approaches, one after the other.
A meta-analysis, which combines data from different studies, showed that tDCS significantly improved function in the lower limbs. While the treatment did not significantly boost walking speed, it did increase the distance patients walked in timed tests. This means patients were able to walk farther after treatment, even if they did not walk faster.
Standing balance, as assessed with the Berg Balance Scale, showed significant improvements after tDCS. However, performance on the Timed Up and Go test, which measures dynamic balance by timing how quickly a patient stands, walks a short distance, turns, and sits down again, did not improve significantly.
To study the treatment’s effects on hand function, the researchers looked at data from the Nine-Hole Peg Test, which measures finger dexterity by timing how quickly a patient places and removes small pegs. However, tDCS did not significantly improve patients’ ability to make precise, coordinated hand movements or their ability to pick up items.
Further analyses showed that treatment settings affected the results. Higher intensities of 2 to 2.5 milliamps (mA), a measure of electrical current, were associated with significant motor benefits, while lower intensities, of 1 to 1.5 mA, were not. Likewise, 20-minute treatment sessions, but not 15-minute sessions, resulted in significant differences in all tests.
The researchers also compared the effects on dynamic balance across studies, based on two different brain regions stimulated by tDCS: the primary motor cortex, which controls voluntary movement, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is involved in planning and cognitive control of motor behavior. Neither approach appeared to be more effective than the other.
The pooled results indicate that tDCS “improves lower limb motor function in multiple sclerosis, with clinically meaningful effects on walking endurance and static balance when delivered at 2.0–2.5 mA for 20 min per session,” the researchers wrote. However, they added, “evidence for upper limb fine motor recovery remains insufficient.”
The team emphasized that future studies, testing parameter-optimized protocols in larger patient populations and with longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm tDCS’ benefits.
diane
my Husband has MS
shak
Is this treatment available in Sydney? If yes where and contact for booking