Trans-spinal Electrical Stimulation in Individuals With Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Launched by LAURA ALICE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA · Feb 18, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) comprise a group of progressive degenerative diseases, currently lacking pharmacological treatments. These conditions produce gait and balance disorders, ultimately necessitating the use of assistive devices, culminating in wheelchair dependency upon the loss of ambulatory function during the clinical progression of SCA. This significantly impacts the individual's independence and quality of life. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the cerebellum and spinal cord (trans-spinal stim...

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Individuals aged 18 to 70, without distinction of gender or ethnicity;
• • 2. Diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia, of any type, by a neurologist;
• • 3. With mild to moderate ataxia severity;
• • 4. Able to walk 2 meters even when using a walker, cane or crutch;
• • 5. Score ≥21 (BERTOLUCCI et al., 1994) on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; FOLSTEINet al., 1975; ALMEIDA, 1998);
• • 6. No other concomitant neurological changes.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Illiterate;
• • 2. Being subjected to any other experimental physiotherapeutic or medicinal intervention during the clinical trial;
• • 3. Skin condition that may affect the electrode placement site
• • 4. Musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiorespiratory disorders that prevent the tests from being carried out;
• • 5. Epilepsy;
• • 6. Pregnancy;
• • 7. History of brain surgery;
• • 8. History of seizures;
• • 9. Metallic implants in the skull that interfere with neuromodulation;