Transcranial Static Magnetic Stimulation (tSMS) in Huntington's Disease (HD)

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative pathology characterized by choreic hyperkinesias which represent the typical motor symptom and are represented by involuntary, aimless, irregular, recurrent, unpredictable and non-rhythmic movements of the trunk, face and limbs. Non-invasive brain neuromodulation has been proposed as a possible treatment for involuntary movements in several clinical conditions including HD. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of home treatment with repeated sessions of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) in safely reducing choreic hyperkinesis in HD patients.

A two-week course of repetitive magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to exert persistent clinical beneficial effects, reducing peak drug dyskinesias for up to four weeks after the end of the stimulation period. rTMS has also been reported to have a beneficial effect in HD. In particular, the stimulation showed a significant reduction in involuntary movements in a group of symptomatic patients. Unlike rTMS, tSMS is attracting considerable interest because it is more manageable and easier to apply. This is a method applicable using a portable ergonomic helmet that shifts the paradigm of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) from a center-based therapeutic model to a home-based one.