Brain stimulation for balance and coordination problems in cerebellar multiple system atrophy

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with the cerebellar type of multiple system atrophy (MSA-C) who can still walk. It tests a mild electrical brain stimulation (tDCS) against a fake (sham) stimulation.

Age

40 Years to 90 Years

Sex

All sexes can join.

Disease stage

Multiple system atrophy, cerebellar type, by the Movement Disorder Society criteria (Wenning et al 2022). People must be able to walk alone or with minimum support.

Earlier treatment

People who had brain or nerve surgery before cannot join.

Main reasons for not taking part

• Electrical devices in the body, such as a pacemaker or Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
• Trouble understanding Italian, or severe sight or hearing problems
• Past drug abuse or severe psychiatric disorders
• Past mini-strokes (transient ischemic attacks), blood vessel damage in the brain, seizures or severe heart problems
• Pregnancy

The registry criteria, word for word

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

• Are you between 40 and 90 years old?YesNo

What the trial wants to find out

This is a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial that aim to verify the safety and the efficacy of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) cerebellar symptoms in Multiple System Atrophy type C (MSA).

The 2 groups in the trial

• Real tDCS groupTreatment being tested

  Partecipants receive anodal tDCS over the cerebellum area (2 cm under the inion, using a 7 × 5 cm sponge electrode), with the cathode being applied either to the right deltoid muscle (arm 1: cerebellar stimulation) or over the spinal lumbar enlargement (2 cm under T11; arm 2: cerebellar-spinal stimulation) using a sponge electrode of the same size as the anode for 5 days/week for 2 weeks

  Treatment: Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS)

• Sham groupSham treatment, for comparison

  Partecipants receive sham stimulation over the cerebellum area (2 cm under the inion, using a 7 × 5 cm sponge electrode), with the cathode being applied either to the right deltoid muscle (arm 1: cerebellar stimulation) or over the spinal lumbar enlargement (2 cm under T11; arm 2: cerebellar-spinal stimulation) using a sponge electrode of the same size as the anode for 5 days/week for 2 weeks

  Treatment: Sham stimulation