Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Training for Quadriceps and Voluntary Knee Extension Exercise on Fatigue in Individuals with Parkinson’s disease

• Main Authors: Fang Yu Chang, 張芳宇
• Other Authors: Y. J. Chang
• Format: Others
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/86918772132414876761

碩士 === 長庚大學 === 物理治療學系 === 101 === Background and purpose: The cardinal features are bradykinesia,rigidity, resting tremor and postural instability. Fatigue is a common non-motor symptom affecting patients with idiopathic PD. Fatigue can be divided into peripheral fatigue and central fatigue. To date, type of fatigue in individuals with Parkinson’s disease is not well defined. Current studies showed that low intensity electrical stimulation (ES) can improve central fatigue in individuals with multiple sclerosis and healthy adults. The purpose of this study is to compare the level of fatigue between individuals with PD and healthy adults, identify the type of fatigue in individuals with PD and investigate if ES can alleviate fatigue in individuals with PD. Methods: We recruited 7 individuals with idiopathic PD as PD group and 17 age-matched healthy adults as healthy control (HC) group. PD group received one month of voluntary knee extension exercise and ES training. Clinical evaluations and laboratory tests (MEPs, SICI, ICF and ITT) were evaluated before and after 1 month in PD group. The HC group was evaluated only at baseline. Result: Voluntary activation level and GFI was lower in PD group than HC group (P<.05), and inhibition of intracortical inhibition in quadriceps was higher in PD group than in HC group (P<.05). All parameters of training effects in PD group were non-significant after one month intervention. Conclusion: Activation failure and fatigue were found in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Developing another effective intervention for activation failure and fatigue in subjects with PD is needed.