Can scalp electrodes reach deep brain areas to restore arm function after stroke?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Informed Consent signed by the participant 2. Age ≥ 18 years old 3. First ever ischemic stroke with motor impairment 4. Stroke incident ≥ 12 weeks at consent 5. Moderate to severe motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) \>20 and \<58) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Unable to provide informed consent due to cognitive, psychiatric, or medical conditions impairing decision-making capacity 2. Severe neuropsychiatric (e.g., major depression, schizophrenia) or medical disease (e.g., progressive cancer, unstable systemic disease, neurodegenerative disease) 3. Severe cognitive, sensory or musculoskeletal dysfunctions prohibiting to understand instructions or to perform the rehabilitative tasks 4. Contraindications for NIBS or MRI a. Electronic or ferromagnetic medical implants/device, non-MRI compatible metal implant, b. Fully or partially implanted conductive objects i. Passive implants: stents, orthopedic/orthodontic implants, screws, shunts, etc. ii. Active implants: cochlear implants, deep brain stimulation leads and electrodes, fully implanted brain monitoring devices iii. Partially implanted devices: monitoring electrodes (e.g., stereoelectroencephalography, electrocortigraphy, etc. iv. Surface-mounted conductive objects: conductive low-impedance structure mounted to the skin that may introduce shortcuts. c. History of seizures d. Medication that significantly interacts with NIBS being benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotics. e. Non-intact skin where electrodes are intended ot be placed 5. Pregnancy 6. Regular use of narcotic drugs or abusive alcohol consumption 7. Integral and bilateral lesion of the striatum 8. Concomittant participation in another clinical trial 9. Active request of not being informed in case of incidental findings