Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on hemichannel pannexin-1 and neural plasticity in rat model of cerebral infarction

► TDCS significantly improved post-stroke motor function on days 7 and 14. ► TDCS group increased density of dendritic spines on days 3, 7, and 14 after stroke. ► TDCS did not decrease the up-regulated PX1 mRNA expression after stroke on day 3. ► TDCS reduced the increased post-stroke PX1 mRNA expression on days 7 and 14.