Evaluation of the Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Pain Perception in Parkinson's Disease

Pain is a frequent symptom in Parkinson's disease. Previous studies have shown that pain perception was altered in Parkinson's disease patients and could be related to nociceptive cortical area hyperactivation. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is an electrophysiological tool which can modify cortical excitability. Its efficacy was demonstrated in neuropathic pain. This is a randomized, double blind cross-over study. In this study, subjective pain threshold (using thermal stimulation (Thermotest)).will be evaluated in 3 groups of subjects: healthy volunteers, painful Parkinson's patients and pain free Parkinson's disease patients. Each group will receive a high frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and placebo stimulation in different order with a gap of one week. The investigators supposed that a 20 Hz Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation session with an infraliminary intensity on the primary cortical motor, modulating nociceptive cortical areas activity, could modify the nociceptive threshold perception in Parkinson's patients.