This study evaluates the efficacy and mechanisms of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for treating dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) in patients with Parkinson's disease and related disorders.
| Field |
Value |
| NCT ID |
NCT07153692 |
| Status |
Recruiting |
| Phase |
To be determined |
| Study Type |
Interventional |
| Conditions |
Parkinson's Disease, PSP, Atypical Parkinsonism |
| Intervention |
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) |
Swallowing difficulties are common and serious:
- PD: Up to 50-80% develop dysphagia
- PSP: Present in majority, especially later stages
- MSA: Early and severe involvement
- Aspiration pneumonia (leading cause of death)
- Malnutrition and dehydration
- Reduced quality of life
- Social isolation
Transcranial direct current stimulation:
- Non-invasive brain stimulation
- Modulates cortical excitability
- Can enhance neuroplasticity
- Targets swallowing cortex
- Pharyngeal motor cortex
- Premotor cortex
- Brainstem swallowing centers
- Cortical-subcortical networks
- Swallowing function (videofluoroscopic assessment)
- Penetration-Aspiration Scale scores
- Quality of life measures
- Cortical activation patterns (fMRI)
- Swallowing kinematics
- Safety and tolerability
- Long-term effects
- Stimulation parameters: 2 mA, 20 min/day
- Session frequency: To be determined
- Duration: Multi-week protocol
- Target: Pharyngeal motor cortex
Dysphagia in PSP is particularly important because:
- Contributes to mortality (aspiration pneumonia)
- Develops early in disease course
- Limited treatment options
- Affects cortical and brainstem structures
The study may benefit PSP patients through:
- Improved understanding of tDCS mechanisms
- Potential therapeutic application
- Biomarker development
- Clinical efficacy data for tDCS
- Mechanism of action understanding
- Optimal stimulation parameters
- Safety profile characterization
- tDCS in PSP
- Dysphagia in PSP
- Aspiration Pneumonia Prevention
- Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation