Study protocol: Responsiveness of Postural Control of Children With and Without a Developmental Coordination Disorder After Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

BACKGROUND: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects around 5% of school-age children worldwide. DCD negatively impacts motor repertoire, quality of life, and overall health. One of the main motor impairments affecting activity and participation is poor postural balance. Although the neural basis of DCD is not yet clear, morphological and functional alterations have been found in children with DCD in crucial areas for postural control, such as the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique for inducing synaptic modulation, promoting neuromodulation that can help in understanding physiopathology and determining therapeutic strategies for people with DCD. AIM: The proposed randomized clinical trial will verify the immediate effects of tDCS in the primary motor cortex and the cerebellum on postural balance in children with and without DCD. METHOD: Fifteen children with DCD and 15 typically developing children will be randomized to receive a single session of anodal cerebellar tDCS, cathodal cerebellar tDCS, anodal primary motor cortex tDCS, or sham tDCS in a crossover design. Postural balance will be assessed by posturography with and without visual and somatosensory system manipulation immediately before and after each tDCS session. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: This paper presents a detailed description protocol of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. The results can bolster understanding of the postural control of children with DCD compared to children with typical development as well as knowledge about the possible effects of tDCS on the postural balance of such children.