title: Transcranial direct current stimulation in Parkinson's disease: Neurophysiological mechanisms and behavioral effects.
abstract: Recent research has highlighted the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to complement rehabilitation effects in the elderly and in patients with neurological diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). TDCS can modulate cortical excitability and enhance neurophysiological mechanisms that compensate for impaired learning in PD. The objective of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the effects of tDCS on neurophysiological and behavioral outcome measures in PD patients, both as a stand-alone and as an adjunctive therapy. We systematically reviewed the literature published throughout the last 10 years. Ten studies were included, most of which were sham controlled. Results confirmed that tDCS applied to the motor cortex had significant results on motor function and to a lesser extent on cognitive tests. However, the physiological mechanism underlying the long-term effects of tDCS on cortical excitability in the PD brain are still unclear and need to be clarified in order to apply this technique optimally to a wider population in the different disease stages and with different medication profiles.
authors: Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: sanne.broeder@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors: Sanne
authors: S
authors: Broeder
authors: Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: evelien.nackaerts@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors: Evelien
authors: E
authors: Nackaerts
authors: Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: elke.heremans@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors: Elke
authors: E
authors: Heremans
authors: Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: griet.vervoort@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors: Griet
authors: G
authors: Vervoort
authors: Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; REVAL Rehabilitation Research Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building A, B-3590 Hasselt, Belgium. Electronic address: raf.meesen@uhasselt.be.
authors: Raf
authors: R
authors: Meesen
authors: Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: geert.verheyden@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors: Geert
authors: G
authors: Verheyden
authors: Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: alice.nieuwboer@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Nieuwboer
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Neuroplasticity; Parkinson's disease; Transcranial direct current stimulation