Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation in progressive supranuclear palsy: a randomized double-blind, cross-over study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a rare neurodegenerative disease.
• Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (DTMS) is a potential therapeutic for Parkinson's Disease, but its efficacy in PSP is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of DTMS on motor functions, freezing of gait, and cognitive performance in PSP patients.
• To assess the safety and tolerability of DTMS in this population.

Main Methods:

• A pilot, randomized, cross-over, double-blind trial involving 19 PSP patients.
• Two sequences were used: real-DTMS followed by sham-DTMS, or sham-DTMS followed by real-DTMS.
• Each cycle included 12 high-frequency DTMS sessions over 4 weeks, with a 5-week washout period, targeting the motor cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Main Results:

• An interaction effect between DTMS and treatment period was observed for the PSP scale.
• Real DTMS administered in the second period led to a significant decrease in PSP scale scores (p=0.01).
• Improvements in gait and patient/caregiver-reported outcomes were noted but were short-lived (approximately one week).

Conclusions:

• This is the first randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial investigating DTMS in PSP patients.
• DTMS demonstrated associated motor and non-motor improvements in individuals with PSP.
• Further research is warranted to optimize DTMS protocols for sustained therapeutic effects in PSP.