Article

A number of studies have examined the therapeutic effects of
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) stimulation in patients with
Parkinson's disease (PD) using unilateral anodal stimulation applied either on
the left or right brain hemisphere. However, PD involves the dysfunctions of both
brain hemispheres.
This study investigates the therapeutic effects of
bilateral anodal tDCS stimulation on balance and fear of fall outcomes in patient
with PD. METHODS: Eighteen patients with idiopathic PD completed the study. Ten
sessions of bilateral anodal tDCS stimulation were applied over the FC1 and FC2
targeting both pre-frontal and motor areas for each patient, 5 sessions per week
for 2 weeks. Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Falls Efficacy Scale-International
(FES-I), and 10 meters walk test (10mwt) were applied before and after the
stimulation therapy.
RESULTS: Paired t-test showed a significant increase in the
BBS scores and decrease in the FES-I scores after the bilateral tDCS compared
with those scores before tDCS therapy (P < 0.05), as well improvement in the
10mwt scores. CONCLUSION: Our data showed that bilateral anodal tDCS serves as an
effective, safe and feasible approach for rehabilitation of patients with PD with
the issues related to balance and fear of fall.

Langue : ANGLAIS