Cerebellar rTMS in PSP: a Double-Blind Sham-Controlled Study Using Mobile Health Technology

• Published in: Cerebellum (London, England) Vol. 20; no. 4; pp. 662 - 666
• Main Authors: Pilotto, Andrea, Rizzetti, Maria Cristina, Lombardi, Alberto, Hansen, Clint, Biggi, Michele, Verzeroli, Giacomo, Martinelli, Antonella, Romijnders, Robbin, Borroni, Barbara, Maetzler, Walter, Padovani, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-08-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Balance; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cerebellum; Clinical trials; Double-blind studies; Magnetic fields; Mobility; Neurobiology; Neurology; Neurosciences; Paralysis; Patients; Progressive supranuclear palsy; Short Reports; Telemedicine; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Variance analysis; Velocity; Postural instability; Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; Progressive supranuclear palsy; Mobile health technology
• ISSN: 1473-4222; 1473-4230
• DOI: 10.1007/s12311-021-01239-6

There are no effective treatments in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of theta burst repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on postural instability in PSP. Twenty PSP patients underwent a session of sham or real cerebellar rTMS in a crossover design. Before and after stimulation, static balance was evaluated with instrumented (lower back accelerometer, Rehagait®, Hasomed, Germany) 30-s trials in semitandem and tandem positions. In tandem and semitandem tasks, active stimulation was associated with increase in time without falls (both
p
=0.04). In the same tasks, device-extracted parameters revealed significant improvement in area (
p
=0.007), velocity (
p
=0.005), acceleration and jerkiness of sway (
p
=0.008) in real versus sham stimulation. Cerebellar rTMS showed a significant effect on stability in PSP patients, when assessed with mobile digital technology, in a double-blind design. These results should motivate larger and longer trials using non-invasive brain stimulation for PSP patients.