Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as Therapy in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia and Adrenomyeloneuropathy

Jakub Antczak

Status: Completed

Conditions: Adrenomyeloneuropathy; Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Treatments: Device: rTMS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03627416

JagiellonianU59

Details and patient eligibility

About

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is the group of inherited disorders, characterized by progressive gait disturbance. There is no established therapy. Adrenoleukodystrophy (AMN) is an x-linked hereditary disease. One of its form, the adrenomyeloneuropathy has the same symptoms as HSP. Current therapeutic options for AMN are very limited. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive method of modulation of brain plasticity. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of rTMS in improving the HSP- and AMN-related gait disturbance and other symptoms with sham stimulation.

Intervention will include five daily sessions. In each session 1500 magnetic pulses will be administered to each of both primary motor areas for lower extremities. Assessment of gait and of strength and spasticity of lower extremities will be made before and after therapy, as well as two weeks later.

Full description

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a group of inherited disorders, characterized by progressive gait disturbance with weakness and spasticity, which predominate in lower extremities. There is no established therapy. Adrenoleukodystrophy (AMN) is an x-linked hereditary disease. One of its form, the adrenomyeloneuropathy has the same symptoms as HSP. Current therapeutic options for AMN are very limited. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), a noninvasive method of modulation of brain plasticity proved to be effective in improving the gait performance in several conditions such as Parkinson Disease, vascular Parkinsonism, partial spinal cord injury and in post-stroke paresis. Previous studies documented also altered cortical excitability in HSP patients.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of 10 hertz (Hz) rTMS over the primary motor cortices in improving the gait and strength and spasticity of lower extremities with sham stimulation in HSP and AMN patients.

Intervention will include five daily sessions. In each session 1500 magnetic pulses will be administered to each of both primary motor areas for lower extremities. Assessment of gait and of strength and spasticity of lower extremities will be made before and after therapy, as well as two weeks later.

Enrollment: 15 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosis of hereditary spastic paraplegia - confirmed genetically, on the basis of family history or on exclusion or diagnosis of adrenomyeloneuropathy - confirmed genetically or by the elevated plasma very long chain fatty acid or on family history
• Gait disturbances affecting daily activities
• Ability to walk 10 meters without assistance or with crutches or with rollator walker

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of signs or symptoms indicating other than HSP or AMN ethiology of gait disturbances
• Contraindications for rTMS as listed by the Guidelines of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN 2009) i.e. seizure in the past, epilepsy, presence of magnetic material in the reach of magnetic field, pregnancy, likelihood to get pregnant, intracranial electrodes, cardiac pacemaker or intracardiac lines, frequent syncopes

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

15 participants in 2 patient groups

active rTMS

Experimental group

Description:

10 hertz (Hz) rTMS will be administered over bilateral primary motor areas for the muscles of lower extremities. Therapy will include five daily sessions (on consecutive week days). In every sessions 3000 magnetic pulses of 90% of the resting motor threshold intensity will be elicited.

Treatment:

Device: rTMS

Sham rTMS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sham stimulation will mimic the active one except that the stimulating coil will be held perpendicularly to the scalp, which assures similar impression as the active stimulation but prevents that significant magnetic field will reach brain tissue.

Treatment:

Device: rTMS