Overview
Specific Aim 1: Complete pilot testing of study protocol in individuals with chronic stroke for feasibility evaluation and protocol refinement. Specific Aim 2: Estimate the preliminary effect of CO-OP+tDCS on activity performance in individuals with chronic stroke.
Description
A number of daily life activities are discontinued after stroke. These discontinued activities typically include basic self-care, instrumental activities of daily living, leisure, and work. These changes in participation contribute to decreased quality of life and life satisfaction. The Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach is a behavioral problem-solving intervention that focuses on teaching clients how to apply cognitive strategies to enhance learning and overcome activity performance barriers.
CO-OP uses meaningful, client-chosen activities to drive new skill learning and neural reorganization. Consistent with these principles of neuroplasticity, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method of modulating cortical excitability through application of low currents to targeted regions on the scalp.
There are known positive effects of CO-OP to improve activity performance and for tDCS to improve impairment level outcomes post-stroke. The investigators hypothesize that the known effects of CO-OP may be amplified with use of tDCS to alter known neural hubs of executive networks that support problem-solving. In sum, (1) CO-OP is effective at improving activity performance, and (2) the effects of CO-OP may be amplified through novel methods that allow for placing the brain in an enhanced neuroplastic state, such as tDCS.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- >6 months post-ischemic stroke
- not currently receiving therapy services
- a minimum of four self-identified functional goals
Exclusion Criteria:
- severe depressive symptoms (>20 on Patient Health Questionnaire)
- dementia symptoms (<24 on Montreal Cognitive Assessment)
- any additional neurological disorders
- moderate-severe aphasia (NIH Stroke Scale aphasia scale of greater than or equal to 2)
- any tDCS contraindication