Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study
Abstract Background Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (PD-MCI) represents one of the most dreaded complications for patients with PD and is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been demonstrated...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Translational Neurodegeneration |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40035-018-0141-9 |
| _version_ | 1828518257835900928 |
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| author | Mauro Adenzato Rosa Manenti Ivan Enrici Elena Gobbi Michela Brambilla Antonella Alberici Maria Sofia Cotelli Alessandro Padovani Barbara Borroni Maria Cotelli |
| author_facet | Mauro Adenzato Rosa Manenti Ivan Enrici Elena Gobbi Michela Brambilla Antonella Alberici Maria Sofia Cotelli Alessandro Padovani Barbara Borroni Maria Cotelli |
| author_sort | Mauro Adenzato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (PD-MCI) represents one of the most dreaded complications for patients with PD and is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been demonstrated to improve motor and non-motor symptoms in PD, to date, no study has investigated the effects of tDCS on Theory of Mind (ToM), i.e., the ability to understand and predict other people’s behaviours, in PD-MCI. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study, we applied active tDCS over the medial frontal cortex (MFC) to modulate ToM performance in twenty patients with PD-MCI. Twenty matched healthy controls (HC) were also enrolled and were asked to perform the ToM task without receiving tDCS. Results In the patients with PD-MCI, i) ToM performance was worse than that in the HC, ii) ToM abilities were poorer in those with fronto-executive difficulties, and iii) tDCS over the MFC led to significant shortening of latency for ToM tasks. Conclusions We show for the first time that active tDCS over the MFC enhances ToM in patients with PD-MCI, and suggest that non-invasive brain stimulation could be used to ameliorate ToM deficits observed in these patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T18:52:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f0f0aadf4514423aaa07e8d4747c5df6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-9158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T18:52:49Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Translational Neurodegeneration |
| spelling | doaj.art-f0f0aadf4514423aaa07e8d4747c5df62022-12-22T00:54:15ZengBMCTranslational Neurodegeneration2047-91582019-01-018111310.1186/s40035-018-0141-9Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled studyMauro Adenzato0Rosa Manenti1Ivan Enrici2Elena Gobbi3Michela Brambilla4Antonella Alberici5Maria Sofia Cotelli6Alessandro Padovani7Barbara Borroni8Maria Cotelli9Department of Psychology, University of TurinNeuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio – FatebenefratelliDepartment of Philosophy and Educational Sciences, University of TurinNeuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio – FatebenefratelliNeuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio – FatebenefratelliCentre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaCentre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaCentre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaCentre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaNeuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio – FatebenefratelliAbstract Background Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (PD-MCI) represents one of the most dreaded complications for patients with PD and is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been demonstrated to improve motor and non-motor symptoms in PD, to date, no study has investigated the effects of tDCS on Theory of Mind (ToM), i.e., the ability to understand and predict other people’s behaviours, in PD-MCI. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study, we applied active tDCS over the medial frontal cortex (MFC) to modulate ToM performance in twenty patients with PD-MCI. Twenty matched healthy controls (HC) were also enrolled and were asked to perform the ToM task without receiving tDCS. Results In the patients with PD-MCI, i) ToM performance was worse than that in the HC, ii) ToM abilities were poorer in those with fronto-executive difficulties, and iii) tDCS over the MFC led to significant shortening of latency for ToM tasks. Conclusions We show for the first time that active tDCS over the MFC enhances ToM in patients with PD-MCI, and suggest that non-invasive brain stimulation could be used to ameliorate ToM deficits observed in these patients.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40035-018-0141-9Medial frontal cortex (MFC)Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)Parkinson’s disease (PD)Theory of mind (ToM)Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) |
| spellingShingle | Mauro Adenzato Rosa Manenti Ivan Enrici Elena Gobbi Michela Brambilla Antonella Alberici Maria Sofia Cotelli Alessandro Padovani Barbara Borroni Maria Cotelli Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study Translational Neurodegeneration Medial frontal cortex (MFC) Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) Parkinson’s disease (PD) Theory of mind (ToM) Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) |
| title | Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study |
| title_full | Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study |
| title_fullStr | Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study |
| title_short | Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study |
| title_sort | transcranial direct current stimulation enhances theory of mind in parkinson s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment a randomized double blind sham controlled study |
| topic | Medial frontal cortex (MFC) Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) Parkinson’s disease (PD) Theory of mind (ToM) Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40035-018-0141-9 |
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