Title:Clinical Improvement and Cortical Adaptations After Functional Electrical Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Author(s): L. Popa, A. Constantinescu, D.F. Muresanu, A. Irimie, N.R. Balanescu and C.D. Popescu
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Cortical excitability, functional electrical stimulation, intracortical inhibition, motor symptoms, Parkinson’s
disease, transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Although PD is
commonly characterized by well-known clinical manifestations, it also involves imbalances in the cortico-subcortical
excitation and inhibition processes. Functional electrical stimulation can improve the motor condition of PD patients as a
supplement to levodopa therapy. In this study, clinical (using specific tests) and paraclinical (using single-pulse
transcranial magnetic stimulation) examinations revealed an improvement in the motor symptoms and the bilateral
activation of the primary motor areas of the upper limbs after unilateral functional electrical stimulation in PD patients.
