P29-S The effect of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on balance tests in healthy young

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) studies showed positive results about postural control and motor adaptation especially in patients and older adults. We aimed to investigate the effect of cerebellar anodal stimulation on balance tests. Besides, errors and reaction time (RT) were also measured by continuous performance test. Eleven young healthy volunteers participated in the study. Two different cerebellar tDCS applications were performed with 1-week interval (anodal-sham). tDCS was applied 2 mA for 20 min (anod on vermis). Y-balance test, flamingo balance test and continuous performance test (CPT) were applied before and after each tDCS. Participants and balance tests raters were blind to tDCS. Test scores and number of errors, omissions and RT were compared between anodal and sham tDCS. There was no significant difference between anodal and sham tDCS in terms of Y-balance, flamingo balance test scores and number of errors and omissions in CPT ( p  = 0.9, p  = 0.7, p  = 0.6, p  = 0.5 respectively). There was a significant delay in RT in anodal stimulation compared to sham ( p  = 0.02).The positive effect of tDCS on postural control in patients and old adults in previous studies was not elicited in the tests we used in healthy young. On the other hand, although the number of errors did not increase, the delay in reaction time is not a desired effect for performance enhancement. As a result of the study, there was no evidence to support the use of cerebellar tDCS to improve balance performance in healthy young individuals.