Objective: Objectives
Primary objective: To determine the effect of bilateral anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on locomotor function in patients with Parkinson’s disease immediately after tDCS. Secondary objective: Determination of the effect of bilateral anodal tDCS on executive function and correlation of its measure with that of locomotor function.

Background: Background
Postural instability and gait difficulty are the major contributors to disability in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and are least responsive to dopaminergic therapies. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of brain is reported to improve locomotor function in patients with PD.

Method: Methods
Study design: Randomized triple blind sham controlled cross-over study.
Thirty patients with Parkinson’s disease diagnosed using the MDS clinical diagnostic criteria for
PD, belonging to H & Y Stage 2 to 4, fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion terms were included in the study. Patients were randomized to receive the ‘real’ or the ‘sham’ tDCS stimulation in the first session and a week later the other type of stimulation i.e sham or real was given. The gait of all the patients was assessed using Timed Up and Go (TUG) test performed immediately before and after the ‘real’ as well as the ‘sham’ sessions. Stroop test was also performed before and after each stimulation session.

Results: Results
The Mean age (±SD) of the study participants was 61.1 (±10.9) years, with 2/3^rd of them being males and 1/3^rd females. Patients showed statistically significant improvement in the averaged TUG tests scores post the ‘real’ stimulation compared to the ‘sham’ stimulation session (p <0.05). Statistically significant improvement in Strop test scores (incongruent) was observed after the ‘real’ stimulation.

Conclusion: Conclusions
Locomotor function of patients with PD improves immediately following bilateral anodal tDCS and the improvement in locomotor function has positive correlation with improvement in executive function.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effect-of-transcranial-direct-current-stimulation-tdcs-on-locomotor-function-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease/