Jeffery DT, Norton JA, Roy FD, Gorassini MA Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the excitability of the leg motor cortex. Exp Brain Res. 2007 Sep;182(2):281-7. Epub 2007 Aug 24.
Kim CR, Kim DY, Kim LS, Chun MH, Kim SJ, Park CH Modulation of cortical activity after anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the lower limb motor cortex: a functional MRI study. Brain Stimul. 2012 Oct;5(4):462-7. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2011.08.002. Epub 2011 Aug 26.
Nitsche MA, Paulus W Excitability changes induced in the human motor cortex by weak transcranial direct current stimulation. J Physiol. 2000 Sep 15;527 Pt 3:633-9.
Roche N, Lackmy A, Achache V, Bussel B, Katz R Effects of anodal tDCS on lumbar propriospinal system in healthy subjects. Clin Neurophysiol. 2012 May;123(5):1027-34. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2011.09.011. Epub 2011 Oct 20.
Roche N, Lackmy A, Achache V, Bussel B, Katz R Effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the leg motor area on lumbar spinal network excitability in healthy subjects. J Physiol. 2011 Jun 1;589(Pt 11):2813-26. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.205161. Epub 2011 Apr 18.
Dual-hemisphere Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Lower Limb Motor Functions After Stroke
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
