Shiga et al., 2002
|
Double-blind sham-controlled |
74 spinocerebellar degeneration cases (cerebellar type x OPCA type): 39 active, 35 placebo |
Single pulse TMS (1 pulse every 6 s, 10 pulses per site, total 30 pulses per session), in 21 sessions with 14 cm circular coil at 250% RMT. |
Cerebellum (over the inion; 4 cm to the left and 4 cm to the right) |
Improvement in 10 m time, 10 m steps, tandem steps and standing capacities, especially regarding cerebellar type. |
7 |
Class III |
Ihara et al., 2005
|
Single-blind, uncontrolled |
20 spinocerebellar degeneration cases (10 OPCA, 6 CCA, 4 SCA6) |
Single-pulse TMS (1 pulse every 5 s, 10 pulses per site, total 30 pulses per session), in 24 sessions with 70 mm figure-of-eight coil at 100% maximum stimulator output. |
Cerebellum (over the inion; 4 cm to the left and 4 cm to the right) |
Improvement in ataxia (ICARS) by 13.5% (38.15 ± 18.43 vs 33.01 ± 17.26, p = 0.003) |
5 |
Class III |
Koch et al., 2008
|
Open-label sham-controlled crossover (one day of washout) |
8 multiple sclerosis cases with cerebellar symptoms + 7 healthy subjects |
5 Hz rTMS (18 trains of 50 stimuli, with 40 s pause, total 900 pulses per session), in one session with 90 mm figure-of-eight coil at 100% RMT. |
M1 (contralateral to the dominant limb) |
Improvement in hand dexterity (9HPT) immediately after and 10 min after. |
4 |
Class IV |
Grimaldi and Manto et al., 2013
|
Single-blind sham-controlled crossover (> 6 days of washout) |
9 cerebellar ataxia cases (1 immune ataxia; 1 paraneoplastic ataxia; 3 SAOA; 1 autosomal recessive ataxia; 3 dominant ataxia) |
Anodal tDCS, in one session at 1 mA. |
Right cerebellum hemisphere and vermis (over the inion and 3 cm to right) |
No change in posturography and upper limb dexterity. |
4 |
Class III |
Bonnì et al., 2014
|
Open-label |
6 posterior circulation stroke cases with ataxia |
rTMS (iTBS, 3 pulses at 50 Hz repeated at a rate of 5 Hz; 20 trains of 10 bursts delivered at 8-sec intervals; total duration: 190 sec, 600 pulses), in 10 sessions with 70 mm figure-of-eight coil at 80% RMT + physiotherapy. |
Cerebellar hemisphere (ipsilateral to the lesion) |
Improvement in ataxia (MICARS) by 18%, especially posture and gait subscales. Total score: pre-iTBS = 53.4 ± 13.0 vs post-iTBS = 43.8 ± 12.1 |
5 |
Class IV |
Kim et al., 2014
|
Double-blind sham-controlled |
32 posterior circulation stroke cases with ataxia |
rTMS (1 Hz, 15 min duration, total 900 pulses per session), in five sessions with 75 mm figure-of-eight coil at 100% RMT. |
Cerebellar hemisphere (2 cm under the inion and 2 cm ipsilateral to the lesion) |
Improvement in the 10 m walk test 1 month afterwards. Balance (BBS) improved after five days and after one month. |
7 |
Class III |
Benussi et al., 2015
|
Double-blind sham-controlled crossover (one week of washout) |
19 cerebellar ataxia cases (5 SCA2; 1 SCA1; 2 SCA 38; 1 Friedreich’s ataxia; 1 AOMA2; 6 MSA-C; 1 FXATAS and 2 SAOA) |
Anode tDCS 1 session with 2 mA. |
Cerebellum |
Improvement in ataxia by 10% (SARA) and 12.2% (ICARS). Hand dexterity also improved by 8% (9HPT) and gait by 10.7% (8MW) |
9 |
Class III |
Grecco et al., 2016 |
Single-blind, sham-controlled, crossover (three months of washout) |
6 ataxic cerebral palsy patients |
Anodal tDCS 20 min duration, in 10 sessions with 1 mA + treadmill training. |
Cerebellum (1 cm under the inion) |
Improvement in hip oscillation during eyes-closed gait (stabilimeter evaluation) |
9 |
Class III |
Benussi et al., 2017
|
Double-blind sham-controlled |
20 neurodegenerative ataxias (5 SCA 2; 2 SCA 38; 1 SCA 14; 1 Friedreich’s ataxia; 1 AOMA2; 4 MSA-C; 1 FXATAS; 5 SAOA) + 10 healthy controls |
Anodal tDCS, in 10 sessions with 2 mA. |
Cerebellum (2 cm under the inion) |
Improvement lasting at least three months in SARA (17.4%), ICARS (20.2%), gait (27%) and handwriting (8.5%) |
8 |
Class III |
Benussi et al., 2018
|
Double-blind sham-controlled crossover (three months of washout) |
20 neurodegenerative ataxia cases (7 SCA2; 5 MSA-C; 1 SCA38; 1 SCA14; 1 Friedreich ataxia; 1 AOMA2; 4 SAOA) |
Anodal tDCS (cerebellum) and cathodal tDCS (spinal cord), in 10 sessions with 2 mA. |
Cerebellum (2 cm under the inion) and spinal cord (2 cm under T11) |
Improvement lasting at least 3 months in SARA (20.3%), ICARS (16.6%), 8MW (10.6%), 9HPT (6.6%) and SF-36 (10.5%). |
8 |
Class II |
Manor et al., 2019
|
Double-blind sham-controlled |
20 spinocerebellar ataxia cases |
Single pulse TMS (1 pulse every 6 s, 10 pulses per site, total 30 pulses per session), in 20 sessions with 14 cm circular coil at 100% maximum stimulator output. |
Cerebellum (over the inion; 4 cm to the left and 4 cm to the right) |
Improvement only in stance sub-score of SARA and standing postural sway metrics. |
8 |
Class II |