Journal: Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology (2018)
Authors: O. Cohen, A. Rigbi, G. Yahalom, N. Warman-Alaluf, Z. Nitsan, A. Zangen, S. Hassin-Baer
Background:
Clinical studies have shown the ability to treat neuropsychiatric disorders using H1 Coil Deep TMS. However, the electric field (E) distributions inside the brain induced by this coil when it is positioned on the scalp according to those clinical studies have not yet been estimated.
Objective:
To study the effects of H5 Coil Deep TMS in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Methods:
H5 Deep TMS was used with low frequency to stimulate the primary motor cortex followed by high frequency stimulation of the prefrontal cortex. The main outcome measures were the total and motor scores of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Secondary measures included rating of depression and quantitative motor tasks.
Results:
Forty-eight patients were randomized 1:1 into active or sham Deep TMS treatment arms. Analyses (n=42) of both UPDRS scores revealed a significant main effect for time between baseline and day 90 (end of treatment), indicating that there was improvement of both scores over time in the whole sample. Although effects of treatment and time-by-treatment were insignificant, simple effects analysis of both measures was significant in the Deep TMS group and reached P-value of 0.06 in the sham group. The response rate was higher in patients with longer disease duration and higher motor UPDRS scores. Side effects were more common in the Deep TMS group but were transient and tolerable.
Conclusions:
Although Deep TMS treatment exhibited some motor improvements, this study could not demonstrate an advantage for active treatment over sham. Further research is required to establish stimulation parameters that may induce potentially more beneficial outcomes, probably in patients with longer and more severe disease.
Full Publication: Repetitive Deep TMS for Parkinson Disease: A… : Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology
