tACS and Upper Limb Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke

This study tests whether a brain stimulation technique called tACS can help stroke patients recover movement in their affected arm. Patients receive either real or fake brain stimulation three times a week for about a month (12 sessions total). During each session, they wear a cap with electrodes that deliver mild electrical currents tailored to their individual brain patterns, while researchers monitor their brain activity. The study measures progress at three time points: before treatment, right after treatment, and one month later. Researchers use brain stimulation tests to check how well the brain controls muscles, and conduct physical tests to measure arm movement, muscle stiffness, and grip strength.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 21-80 years old; 2. First ever stroke, at least 9 months after stroke onset; 3. Evidence of corticomotor excitability as manifested by a recordable Motor Evoked Potential from the ipsilesional Motor Cortex (M1) by TMS measurement. 4. Objectively documented motor weakness of the upper extremity as manifested by an Upper Extremity-Fugl-Meyer Assessment score \