Parkinson Disease
Conditions
Keywords
Parkinson's disease, Motor cortex, Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Brief summary
Cortical-basal ganglia gamma oscillations are pathologically reduced in Parkinson's disease (PD) and the plasticity of the primary motor cortex (M1) is impaired. Enhancing gamma oscillations through transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), a non-invasive neurophysiological tool that modulates cortical rhythms, can restore this alteration. However, whether tACS-related normalization of M1 plasticity results in positive clinical effects is unknown. Motor learning is also impaired in PD and gamma oscillations play a relevant role in different forms of learning in humans. Nevertheless, whether motor learning abnormalities relate to reduced gamma oscillations in PD is another unclear issue. It can be hypothesized that gamma oscillations impairment in M1 contributes to altered motor control, plasticity and learning in PD. Accordingly, in this project, the authors intend to test whether gamma-tACS on M1 in PD patients ameliorates motor performance and learning, as objectively assessed with kinematic techniques.
Interventions
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) will be delivered using a BrainSTIM (EMS, Italy) connected to two electrodes (5x5cm) enclosed in sponges soaked with saline solution. One electrode will be centred over the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) hotspot and the other over P3. tACS will be delivered at peak-to-peak amplitude of 1 milliampere (mA), and with 3-seconds ramp-up and down periods. The stimulation frequency will be 70 Hz, as representative of the endogenous motor network-related gamma frequency.
Sham-tACS will consist of ramp-up and down periods and only 1-second stimulation at 1 mA amplitude.
Sponsors
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico
I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia
Neuromed IRCCS
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* PD diagnosis
Exclusion criteria
* severe cognitive and psychiatric comorbidities * H&Y\>3 * levodopa-induced dyskinesia and tremor-dominant phenotype * history of additional neuropsychiatric disorders * intake of medications acting on brain excitability or plasticity * contraindications to non-invasive brain stimulation
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in bradykinesia features as objectively assessed by kinematic techniques | post 5, 15 and 30 minutes | The velocity of finger tapping movements will be kinematically measured and expressed in degrees/second. |
| Changes in motor learning performance as objectively assessed by kinematic techniques | post 5, 15 and 30 minutes | The acceleration peak of finger index abductions will me kinematically measured and expressed as millimeters/seconds |
Countries
Italy
Contacts
Primary ContactGiulia Paparella
Outcome results
None listed