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TDCS for parkinson's disease disease-related pain: A randomized trial
Yeray González-Zamorano1, Francisco José Sánchez-Cuesta2, Marcos Moreno-Verdú2
1International Doctorate School, Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Alcorcón, Spain; Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Alcorcón, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain; Brain Injury and Movement Disorders Neurorehabilitation Group (GINDAT), Institute of Life Sciences, Francisco de Vitoria University, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain.
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on Parkinson's disease (PD)-related pain.
Methods:
This triple-blind randomized controlled trial included twenty-two patients (age range 38-85, 10 male) with PD-related pain. Eleven subjects received ten sessions of 20 minutes tDCS over the primary motor cortex contralateral to pain at 2 mA intensity. Eleven subjects received sham stimulation. Outcome measures included changes in the Kinǵs Parkinsońs Pain Scale (KPPS), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), widespread mechanical hyperalgesia (WMH), temporal summation of pain (TS), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM).
Results:
Significant differences were found in KPPS between groups favoring the active-tDCS group compared to the sham-tDCS group at 15-days follow-up (p = 0.014) but not at 2 days post-intervention (p = 0.059). The active-group showed significant improvements over the sham-group after 15 days (p = 0.017). Significant changes were found in CPM between groups in favor of active-tDCS group at 2 days post-intervention (p = 0.002) and at 15 days (p = 0.017). No meaningful differences were observed in BPI or TS.
Conclusions:
tDCS of the primary motor cortex alleviates perceived PD-related pain, reduces pain sensitization, and enhances descending pain inhibition.
Significance:
This is the first study to test and demonstrate the use of tDCS for improving PD-related pain.
