Researchers at the University of Lleida (UdL) and the Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IRBLleida) report that a rehabilitation program combining treadmill training, virtual reality and transcranial direct current stimulation improved balance in people with Parkinson's disease in a 23-patient pilot study published in Neurological Sciences.

The intervention paired conventional treadmill exercise with immersive virtual environments and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that applies a weak electrical current to the scalp to modulate cortical excitability.

The authors say the combined program improved postural control across the sample. A subgroup that received virtual reality plus brain stimulation also showed a specific increase in gait cadence when performing dual motor tasks — walking while carrying out a second movement — a condition that often precipitates freezing or instability in Parkinson's.

Helena Fernández-Lago, researcher and professor at UdL's Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, highlighted the effect on patients' perception. "The results show that the intervention improves balance and participants gain confidence and self-management skills," she said.

The study sample was 23 patients. The report is a pilot trial and the authors present the data as preliminary. The small sample size and pilot design mean the findings need replication in larger, controlled studies before clinical recommendations can follow.

The Lleida group notes the gait findings align with other recent local work on home-based rehabilitation approaches, suggesting a broader research program on multi-modal therapy in this population. The press summary is available via APDnoticies, and the results appear in Neurological Sciences.

Photo credit: www.apdnoticies.com

Tags: Parkinson's disease, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), virtual reality rehabilitation, treadmill training, gait freezing

Topics: Non-invasive brain stimulation, Transcranial electrical stimulation, Neuromodulation