Transcranial DCS as a Treatment for Ataxia

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been recently recognized as a potential treatment for several neuropsychiatric disorders. Researchers studied 20 patients with various forms of neurodegenerative ataxia in a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled crossover trial. The cathode was in the cerebellum and the anode in the spinal cord. Participants were randomized to receive active or sham treatment 5 days a week for 2 weeks. They were assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, then waited 3 months (a washout period) before crossing over to the other arm. Cerebello-motor connectivity was measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

At 1 and 3 months, participants receiving active (but not sham) cerebello-spinal tDCS s…