TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of more-affected vs. Less-affected motor cortex tDCS in Parkinsonâs disease
AU - Fierro, Brigida
AU - Cosentino, Giuseppe
AU - Brighina, Filippo
AU - Savettieri, Giovanni
AU - Todisco, Massimiliano
AU - Alfonsi, Enrico
AU - Alfonsi, Enrico
AU - Valentino, Francesca
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Objective: To evaluate therapeutic potential of different montages of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in Parkinsonâs Disease (PD) patients with asymmetric motor symptoms. Materials and Methods: Fourteen patients with asymmetric PD underwent, while on treatment, seven separate sessions including electrophysiological and clinical evaluation at baseline and after anodal, cathodal and sham tDCS of the primary motor cortex (M1) of the two hemispheres. Changes in motor cortical excitability were evaluated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Effects on motor symptoms were assessed by testing finger tapping (FT) and upper limb bradykinesia, and by using the Italian validated Movement Disorder Society revision of the Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Results: Only anodal tDCS of the more-affected M1 (contralateral to the more-affected body side) and cathodal tDCS of the less-affected M1 (contralateral to the less-affected body side) were able to induce significant changes in cortical excitability, i.e., facilitation and inhibition of the motor evoked potentials respectively. The motor performances of both hands significantly improved after anodal tDCS of the more-affected M1, as well as after cathodal tDCS of the less-affected one. Conclusion: Our findings support the potential usefulness of tDCS as add-on treatment for asymmetric PD, also providing interesting clues on the possible pathophysiological role played by an asymmetric activation of homologous motor cortical areas in PD.
AB - Objective: To evaluate therapeutic potential of different montages of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in Parkinsonâs Disease (PD) patients with asymmetric motor symptoms. Materials and Methods: Fourteen patients with asymmetric PD underwent, while on treatment, seven separate sessions including electrophysiological and clinical evaluation at baseline and after anodal, cathodal and sham tDCS of the primary motor cortex (M1) of the two hemispheres. Changes in motor cortical excitability were evaluated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Effects on motor symptoms were assessed by testing finger tapping (FT) and upper limb bradykinesia, and by using the Italian validated Movement Disorder Society revision of the Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Results: Only anodal tDCS of the more-affected M1 (contralateral to the more-affected body side) and cathodal tDCS of the less-affected M1 (contralateral to the less-affected body side) were able to induce significant changes in cortical excitability, i.e., facilitation and inhibition of the motor evoked potentials respectively. The motor performances of both hands significantly improved after anodal tDCS of the more-affected M1, as well as after cathodal tDCS of the less-affected one. Conclusion: Our findings support the potential usefulness of tDCS as add-on treatment for asymmetric PD, also providing interesting clues on the possible pathophysiological role played by an asymmetric activation of homologous motor cortical areas in PD.
KW - Behavioral Neuroscience
KW - Biological Psychiatry
KW - Cortical excitability
KW - Motor cortex
KW - Neurology
KW - Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
KW - Non-invasive brain stimulation
KW - Parkinsonâs disease
KW - Psychiatry and Mental Health
KW - tDCS
KW - Behavioral Neuroscience
KW - Biological Psychiatry
KW - Cortical excitability
KW - Motor cortex
KW - Neurology
KW - Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
KW - Non-invasive brain stimulation
KW - Parkinsonâs disease
KW - Psychiatry and Mental Health
KW - tDCS
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10447/248837
UR - http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00309/full
M3 - Article
VL - 11
SP - 309-
JO - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
JF - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
SN - 1662-5161
ER -