Feasibility of a combined intermittent theta-burst stimulation and video game-based dexterity training in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Background Persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often exhibit difficulties with dexterity during the performance of activities of daily living (ADL), inter alia due to dysfunctional supplementary motor area (SMA). Combined intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the SMA followed by video game-based training (VBT) may therefore improve dexterity related ADL. The VBT may induce high flow levels related to high performance during the training. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a combined iTBS-VBT intervention in persons with PD. Methods A total of nine persons with PD (mean age 63.3 ± 8.76 years) with self-reported difficulties with dexterity related ADL were included in this pilot iTBS-VBT study. All participants received either iTBS or sham stimulation over the SMA followed by a 45-min VBT, three times a week for a total of three weeks. Feasibility was measured by means of the adherence rate and the system usability (System Usability Scale). Moreover, flow was measured after the last VBT session. Results Adherence rate was excellent with 100%. High system usability scores (i.e., mean 80%, range 55–97.5) and a significant Spearman’s correlation with the Flow State Scale (r = .762, p = .017) further point to the high feasibility of the VBT. Neither demographic variables nor difficulties in dexterity related ADL affected the usability of the VBT. Conclusion This study demonstrates the high feasibility of a combined iTBS-VBT intervention. Moreover, the level of self-reported usability was related to flow experience. Whether this kind of combined iTBS-VBT intervention improves dexterity will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. Trial registration clincaltrials.gov NCT04699149, date of registration 1. June 2021

Adherence to Non-Pharmacological Interventions in Parkinson’s Disease: A Rapid Evidence Assessment of the Literature

“…A notable 46.67% (N = 21) of studies pinpointed regime intensity as a key determinant of adherence. Intensive and challenging programs can yield lower adherence in some people, especially if they induce pain or fatigue [22,35,45,59], but for others may optimize adherence [35,46,60,61]. Langer et al (2021) found that the inherent challenges of rock-climbing spurred adherence due to a perceived high level of intrinsic reward for some people [62].…”