Can tDCS Enhance Efficacy of Rehabilitative Intervention for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease?

Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major cause of disability and falls and responds often incompletely to conventional therapy. The pathogenesis remains largely unknown and therapeutic alternatives are needed. Rehabilitative interventions that consist of learning cognitive strategies with sensory cueing to prevent and to overcome FOG represent the most efficacious intervention, but difficulties in learning and execution of these cognitive strategies are the main cause of failure. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhances motor task learning and execution in patients with PD and might enhance the efficacy of rehabilitative interventions. This study intends to address the following question whether tDCS can enhance the efficacy of rehabilitative interventions in the treatment of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease?