Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: BRUNA RIBEIRO CARNEIRO DE SOUSA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : BRUNA RIBEIRO CARNEIRO DE SOUSA
DATE: 14/10/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Departamento de Fisioterapia
TITLE:

EFFECTS OF HIGH-DEFINITION TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT
STIMULATION (HD-TDCS) OVER DIFFERENT CORTICAL AREAS ON CORTICAL EXCITABILITY AND MUSCLE ACTIVITY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS: A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT
STUDY 

 

 

KEY WORDS:

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Neuromodulation; HD-tDCS;
Neurophysiological Biomarkers; Electromyography; Transcranial
Electrical Stimulation.

 

PAGES: 52
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional
SUMMARY:

Introduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive
neurodegenerative disease that severely impairs motor and respiratory
function, leading to loss of functionality, dependence, and reduced survival.
Evidence indicates that cortical hyperexcitability and functional reorganization
of the central nervous system are associated with disease progression. In this
context, High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS)
has emerged as a promising non-invasive neuromodulation strategy, with the
potential to reduce excessive excitability and modulate cortical plasticity in a
focal and lasting manner. Methods: This proof-of-concept, randomized,
double-blind, crossover study will investigate the effects of HD-tDCS applied
over the left (M1-L) and right (M1-R) primary motor cortices in individuals with
ALS and healthy controls. Participants will undergo four intervention sessions
(M1-L, M1-R, and sham) on alternate days. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) will be used to estimate corticospinal excitability, and surface electromyography (sEMG) will be used to analyze muscle activity during
functional tasks. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis will include tests for
normality (Shapiro-Wilk) and homogeneity (Levene), followed by paired t-tests
or Wilcoxon tests for within-group pre- and post-intervention comparisons;
independent t-tests or Mann-Whitney tests for between-group comparisons;
and repeated measures ANOVA or Friedman tests for comparisons between
conditions (M1-L, M1-R, and sham), with Bonferroni or Nemenyi post-hoc
tests depending on data distribution. For EMG analysis, the collected data will
first be exported to .csv format and processed in Python using a code
specifically developed for this study. Based on the TMS data, a power
analysis will be conducted to determine the number of participants to be
included.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 2179208 - ANA RAQUEL RODRIGUES LINDQUIST
Interna - 2786809 - MARIA THEREZA ALBUQUERQUE BARBOSA CABRAL MICUSSI
Interno - 2646619 - RODRIGO PEGADO DE ABREU FREITAS