Open Label Treatment With tDCS for Parkinson's and Related Disorders for Improvement of Speech, Gait and Mood

Pilot Study: Open Label Treatment With tDCS for Parkinson's and Related Disorders for Improvement of Speech, Gait and Mood

This research will help us to understand whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can safely improve recovery of speech and language abilities, gait , and mood in people with Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Some of the disorders that will be studied to understand if tDCS can be useful include Parkinson's Disease, Multi-System Atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parkinson's disease or a related disorder (e.g. Multiple Systems Atrophy) as diagnosed by a neurologist specializing in Movement Disorders
• Age >= 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Skull defect at or near site of tDCS delivery.
• History of a significant stroke or traumatic brain injury.
• History of other brain conditions that could impact interpretation of results (such as MS, brain tumor, encephalitis).
• Presence of implanted electrical or metallic devices in the head or body (examples include cardiac pacemakers or defibrillators, Baclofen pumps, deep brain stimulators, ventricular shunts with metallic parts, vagus nerve stimulators)
• Presence of ferrous metal in the head (except titanium; for instance shrapnel)
• History of psychiatric disease requiring hospitalization, electroconvulsive therapy, or ongoing medication use (other than common antidepressants)
• Pregnancy