The aim of this study was to find whether 1-Hz cerebellar repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could affect upper limb movement in early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). Twenty patients with PD underwent one session with real and one with sham rTMS. rTMS (1 Hz, 600 pulses) was targeted at the right lateral cerebellum. Before and after rTMS, patients performed two motor tests with their fingers and hands (ball test, nine-hole peg test). The duration of these tests was measured. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the results of the tests after real stimulation and sham stimulation. We excluded the impact of learning. After real rTMS, we observed a significantly faster response in the ball test and a slower response in the nine-hole peg test, both on the right upper limb. This study indicates the influence of 1-Hz cerebellar rTMS in modifying the voluntary movements of the upper limb in PD. This influence is differentiated: the improvement of gross motor skills and the worsening of fine motor skills.

• MeSH
• Single-Blind Method MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Motor Skills physiology   MeSH
• Cerebellum physiology   MeSH
• Parkinson Disease physiopathology   therapy   MeSH
• Arm physiology   MeSH
• Psychomotor Performance physiology   MeSH
• Reaction Time physiology   MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH

We studied whether five sessions of 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS treatment) applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) or the primary motor cortex (MC) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) patients would have any effect on L-dopa-induced dyskinesias and cortical excitability. We aimed at a randomised, controlled study. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation, and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS parts III and IV) were performed prior to, immediately after, and one week after an appropriate rTMS treatment. Stimulation of the left DLPFC induced a significant motor cortex depression and a trend towards the improvement of L-dopa-induced dyskinesias.

• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH