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Citation |
Marano M, Anzini G, Musumeci G, Magliozzi A, Pozzilli V, Capone F, Di Lazzaro V. Mov. Disord. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2022, Movement Disorders Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
35861362 |
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Abstract |
Recent studies have found that transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can improve gait symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD).1-3 Noninvasive VNS can be performed also on the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, with significant opportunities in terms of feasibility and costs. Data on the effects of transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) in PD, however, are still missing. Hence we aimed at investigating the effects of taVNS on the gait of 12 patients with idiopathic PD, which were consecutively enrolled in a pilot-controlled study with a double-blind randomized crossover design, at the tertiary movement disorders clinic of our institution. Patients were selected according to the following criteria: (1) chronic levodopa therapy without a history of levodopa-induced dyskinesias, (2) walking difficulties but still able to walk unassisted (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS] Part II item 15 = 1 or 2), and (3) modified Hoehn & Yahr score <3 while on medication. Patients with early signs of cognitive impairment or atypical parkinsonism and individuals on anticholinergics and/or affected by any other known condition able to influence the gait were not included. Therapy changes between visits were not allowed. taVNS was delivered either on the left internal tragus (real) or the earlobe (control) in trains lasting 30 seconds each, composed of 600 pulses (frequency 20 Hz; duration 0.3 millisecond) repeated every 4.5 minutes for 30 minutes (six cycles) (Supporting Information Materials). Patients were randomized to one stimulation and after 1 week, all subjects were crossed over to the other. Patients were evaluated before and after the... Language: en |