Postural instability is one of the motor features of Parkinson's disease (PD). Most patients will develop balance dysfunction, and they may get worse with disease progression. According to previous studies, people with PD had abnormal changes in corticomotor excitability, especially disinhibition in the primary motor cortex (M1). Some evidence had shown that the cortical function in the M1 is crucial for the pathophysiology of the underlying motor symptoms in PD. Furthermore, neurostimulation over the M1 could modulate the corticomotor excitability in individuals with PD, and then improve their motor and also balance performance. However, whether the impaired corticomotor inhibition relates to balance dysfunction in people with PD is still unknown. In this study, the purpose is to investigate the possible relationship between corticomotor inhibition and balance performance in individuals with PD. However, the postural position during TMS measurement may affect the corticomotor excitability. To further establish the above-mentioned relationship, the secondary purpose is to explore and confirm whether the postural position will influence the correlation.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
50
Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Taipei, Taiwan
Intracortical inhibition
Short-interval intracortical inhibition assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation
Time frame: 20 minutes
Corticospinal inhibition
Cortical silent period assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation
Time frame: 20 minutes
Static balance
Sharpened Romberg test
Time frame: 3 minutes
Dynamic balance
Functional reach test
Time frame: 5 minutes
Functional balance
Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test
Time frame: 15 minutes
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