The following is a collection of research abstracts pertaining to the application of rTMS and other electromagnetic stimulation techniques for the relief of Parkinson's disease symptoms. There is also additional supporting evidence for the proposed potential of electromagnetic therapy application for relieving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease as well as support for the associated theory of mechanism of operation driving the change.
Treatment with AC pulsed electromagnetic fields improves the response to levodopa in Parkinson's disease.
Int J Neurosci. 1997 Oct;91(3-4):189-97.
Sandyk R.
Department of Neuroscience, Touro College, Dix Hills, NY 11746, USA.
A 52 year old fully medicated Parkinsonian patient with severe disability (stage 4 on the Hoehn & Yahr disability scale) became asymptomatic 10 weeks after he received twice weekly transcranial treatments with AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of picotesla flux density. Prior to treatment with EMFs, his medication (Sinemet CR) was about 50% effective and he experienced end-of-dose deterioration and diurnal-related decline in the drug's efficacy. For instance, while his morning medication was 90% effective, his afternoon medication was only 50% effective and his evening dose was only 30% effective. Ten weeks after introduction of treatment with EMFs, there was 40% improvement in his response to standard Sinemet medication with minimal change in its efficacy during the course of the day or evening. These findings demonstrate that intermittent, AC pulsed applications of picotesla flux density EMFs improve Parkinsonian symptoms in part by enhancing the patient's response to levodopa. This effect may be related to an increase in the capacity of striatal DA neurons to synthesize, store and release DA derived from exogenously supplied levodopa as well as to increased serotonin (5-HT) transmission which has been shown to enhance the response of PD patients to levodopa.
Since decline in the response to levodopa is a phenomenon associated with progression of the disease, this case suggests that intermittent applications of AC pulsed EMFs of picotesla flux density reverse the course of chronic progressive PD.
Clinical Observations on Magnetic Molecular Energizer in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study
Trent W. Nichols MD, Larry A. Pearce MD, David L. Stokesbary MD, Dean R. Bonlie D.D.S.
Fourteen (14) patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with the Magnetic Molecular
Energizer (MME), for 3-5 hours initially, then for periods up to 20 hours per day. Parkinson's disease patients were treated for as many consecutive days as possible. The total number of hours varied for each patient. Patients were continued on the same dose of dopaminergics or anticholinergics. Patients were evaluated pre- and post-treatment using the Combined Symptoms Assessment (CSA) scoring system, and for hand writing, swing, gait and tremor.
Every patient noted improvement in symptoms after the trial period, with an average increase of 3.1 CSA points above baseline, or moderate cessation of their initial symptoms. Treatment hours correlated strongly with the patient’s final condition. Increases in MME therapy time led to continued improvement in symptoms and did not appear to lead to any dose related side effect or other serious side effects. On average, patients first noted a significant improvement after thirty-one and a half hours of treatment, with an average CSA of 1.3 at that point.
