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Speech impairment in Parkinson's disease is improved by transcranial application of electromagnetic fields.

The International journal of neuroscience · 1997 · Benefit · Very low evidence

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BenefitVery low evidencePaper 4118

In this single patient with Parkinsonism, speech impairment improved more dramatically and consistently during a ~4-year period of fairly regular weekly transcranial treatments with AC pulsed EMFs of picotesla flux density. Recurrence of speech impairment was…

Study snapshot

PublicationThe International journal of neuroscience · 1997
Study typecase_report
Reported directionBenefit
Evidence ratingVery low

Abstract

A 52 year old fully medicated physician with juvenile onset Parkinsonism experienced 4 years ago severe "on-off" fluctuations in motor disability and debilitating speech impairment with severe stuttering which occurred predominantly during "on-off" periods. His speech impairment improved 20%-30% when sertraline (75 mg/day), a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, was added to his dopaminergic medications which included levodopa, amantadine, selegiline and pergolide mesylate. A more dramatic and consistent improvement in his speech occurred over the past 4 years during which time the patient received, on a fairly regular basis, weekly transcranial treatments with AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of picotesla flux density. Recurrence of speech impairment was observed on several occasions when regular treatments with EMFs were temporarily discontinued. These findings demonstrate that AC pulsed applications of picotesla flux density EMFs may offer a nonpharmacologic approach to the management of speech disturbances in Parkinsonism. Furthermore, this case implicates cerebral serotonergic deficiency in the pathogenesis of Parkinsonian speech impairment which affects more than 50% of patients. It is believed that pulsed applications of EMFs improved this patient's speech impairment through the facilitation of serotonergic transmission which may have occurred in part through a synergistic interaction with sertraline.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecase_report
Effect directionbenefit
Population52-year-old physician with juvenile-onset Parkinsonism (fully medicated)
Sample size1
Exposureweekly transcranial treatments over ~4 years; temporary discontinuations noted
Evidence strengthVery lowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In this single patient with Parkinsonism, speech impairment improved more dramatically and consistently during a ~4-year period of fairly regular weekly transcranial treatments with AC pulsed EMFs of picotesla flux density. Recurrence of speech impairment was observed when regular EMF treatments were temporarily discontinued.

Outcomes measured

  • Speech impairment
  • Stuttering
  • Motor disability fluctuations ("on-off")

Limitations

  • Single-patient case report
  • No control/sham condition described
  • Concurrent medications including sertraline and multiple dopaminergic agents; potential confounding and interaction effects
  • Improvement magnitude for EMF treatment not quantified in the abstract (sertraline improvement reported as 20%–30%)
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "case_report",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "transcranial AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "weekly transcranial treatments over ~4 years; temporary discontinuations noted"
  },
  "population": "52-year-old physician with juvenile-onset Parkinsonism (fully medicated)",
  "sample_size": 1,
  "outcomes": [
    "Speech impairment",
    "Stuttering",
    "Motor disability fluctuations (\"on-off\")"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In this single patient with Parkinsonism, speech impairment improved more dramatically and consistently during a ~4-year period of fairly regular weekly transcranial treatments with AC pulsed EMFs of picotesla flux density. Recurrence of speech impairment was observed when regular EMF treatments were temporarily discontinued.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Single-patient case report",
    "No control/sham condition described",
    "Concurrent medications including sertraline and multiple dopaminergic agents; potential confounding and interaction effects",
    "Improvement magnitude for EMF treatment not quantified in the abstract (sertraline improvement reported as 20%–30%)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "very_low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "Parkinsonism",
    "Parkinson's disease",
    "speech impairment",
    "stuttering",
    "transcranial",
    "pulsed electromagnetic fields",
    "picotesla",
    "sertraline",
    "serotonergic transmission"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}
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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.3109/00207459708986390
PubMed: 9522256

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