Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Associated With Physical Therapy on Motor Rehabilitation in Parkinson´s Disease Patients

12 patients were participated of this study.After screening to check the eligibility criteria and giving informed consent, they were randomized in two groups. All patients were submitted to a 10 therapeutic sessions that occurred 3 times per week.

Before, immediately after and 1 month after the last session patients were submitted to an evaluation with the follow tests: Unified Parkinson´s Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS), Jebsen Taylor Test (JTT) and Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life (PDQL). Furthermore, before and after each session the patients were submitted to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to evaluate cortical excitability through motor threshold and motor evoked potential.

In experimental sessions, the subjects always received physiotherapy with conventional techniques, the protocol followed the clinical practice guideline for physical therapy in Parkinson disease with the Royal Dutch Society Therapy. During tDCS protocol the patients seated in a comfortable chair with head and arm rests. Continuous current was applied using a pair of saline-soaked surface sponge electrodes (surface 35 cm2), the anode electrode was placed over the primary motor cortex and cathode above contralateral orbit. tDCS was applied of twice stimulation of 13 minutes with 20 minutes of interval between them and a current strength of 1mA. Sham tDCS was applied by current flow of 30s.