A Parkinson's disease patient displaying increased neuromelanin-sensitive areas in the substantia nigra after rehabilitation with tDCS: a case report.

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the frontal polar area (FPA) ameliorated motor disability in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Here we report changes in neuromelanin (NM) imaging of dopaminergic neurons before and after rehabilitation combined with anodal tDCS over the FPA for 2 weeks in a PD patient. After the intervention, the patient showed clinically meaningful improvements while the NM-sensitive area in the SN increased by 18.8%. This case study is the first report of NM imaging of the SN in a PD patient who received tDCS.Abbreviations FPA: front polar area; PD: Parkinson's disease; NM: neuromelanin; DCI: DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor; STEF: simple test for evaluating hand function; TUG: timed up and go test; TMT: trail-making test; SN: substantia nigra; NM-MRI: neuromelanin magnetic resonance imaging; MCID: the minimal clinically important difference; SNpc: substantia nigra pars compacta; VTA: ventral tegmental area; LC: locus coeruleus; PFC: prefrontal cortex; M1: primary motor cortex; MDS: Movement Disorder Society; MIBG: 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine; SBR: specific binding ratio; SPECT: single-photon emission computed tomography; DAT: dopamine transporter; NIBS: noninvasive brain stimulation; tDCS: transcranial direct current stimulation; MAOB: monoamine oxidase B; DCI: decarboxylase inhibitor; repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: rTMS; diffusion tensor imaging: DTI; arterial spin labeling: ASL.

• Authors: Koji Ishikuro, Noriaki Hattori, Rieko Imanishi, Kohta Furuya, Takeshi Nakata, Nobuhiro Dougu, Mamoru Yamamoto, Hirofumi Konishi, Takamasa Nukui, Tomohiro Hayashi, Ryoko Anada, Noriyuki Matsuda, Hiroaki Hirosawa, Ryo Tanaka, Takashi Shibata, Koichi Mori, Kyo Noguchi, Satoshi Kuroda, Yuji Nakatsuji, Hisao Nishijo
• Journal: Neurocase (Neurocase) Vol. 27 Issue 5 Pg. 407-414 (10 2021) ISSN: 1465-3656 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34503372 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Melanins
• neuromelanin

Topics

• Disabled Persons
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Melanins
• Motor Disorders (metabolism, pathology)
• Parkinson Disease (therapy)
• Postural Balance
• Substantia Nigra (diagnostic imaging, metabolism, pathology)
• Time and Motion Studies
• Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation