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Journal article
Combined TMS and transcranial alternating current stimulation induced neuroplasticity in tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease
Clinical neurophysiology, In Press
2025
Abstract
Objective
Tremor is one of the most common motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), with adverse effects on daily functioning and quality of life. This study investigated the effects of concurrent intermittent theta-burst stimulation and gamma frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (iTBS-γ-tACS) on neuroplasticity in the motor cortex and resting tremor severity in individuals with tremor-dominant PD.
Methods
Eighteen individuals (mean age 66.8 ± 10.0 years, 6 females) with tremor-dominant PD attended two sessions, one involving iTBS-γ-tACSreal (real iTBS and real tACS), and the other involving iTBS-γ-tACSsham (real iTBS and sham tACS). Measures of neuroplasticity (corticospinal excitability and intracortical inhibition) and tremor severity were measured before and after iTBS-γ-tACS.
Results
Corticospinal excitability in the target muscle increased significantly after iTBS-γ-tACSreal, but not iTBS-γ-tACSsham. Intracortical inhibition and tremor severity were not significantly modulated by either stimulation condition.
Conclusions
iTBS-γ-tACSreal, but not iTBS-γ-tACSsham, elicited long-term potentiation-like neuroplastic changes in the target muscle.
Significance
This is the first study to show iTBS-γ-tACS can induce neuroplasticity in individuals with tremor-dominant PD. Despite no significant changes in tremor severity, future research should explore if targeting neuroplasticity in the cortical representation of the tremor-dominant muscle and/or multi-session administrations of iTBS-γ-tACS can reduce tremor.
Details
- Title
- Combined TMS and transcranial alternating current stimulation induced neuroplasticity in tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease
- Authors/Creators
- Jane Tan - School of Psychology, College of Health and Education, Murdoch University, Western Australia, AustraliaBrittany K. Rurak - Murdoch UniversityRick C. Helmich - Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Neurology Department, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the NetherlandsJulian P. Rodrigues - Hollywood Private HospitalBrian D. Power - Hollywood Private HospitalPeter Drummond - School of Psychology, College of Health and Education, Murdoch University, Western Australia, AustraliaHakuei Fujiyama - School of Psychology, College of Health and Education, Murdoch University, Western Australia, AustraliaAnn-Maree Vallence - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Clinical neurophysiology, In Press
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.
- Identifiers
- 991005787949207891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Healthy Ageing
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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