Reversal of Micrographia in Parkinson's Disease by Application of Picotesla Range Magnetic Fields

Abstract

Micrographia, a common and often early sign of Parkinson's disease (PD), is a sensitive clinical marker of the severity of bradykinesia and rigidity in the disease. As micrographia may be reversed by treatment with dopaminergic drugs and may emerge during therapy with neuroleptic agents, it is thought to reflect striatal dopaminergic deficiency. It has been reported recently that external application of picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) produced a dramatic improvement in the motor symptoms of PD suggesting that these weak MF enhance striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. In the present communication, we present a 61 year old patient with PD in whom picoTesla range MF attenuated the severity of bradykinesia and rigidity, improved postural stability, and rapidly reversed the micrographia within 30 minutes after termination of treatment. In contrast, sham (placebo) MF did not influence the severity of the motor symptoms of the disease or the associated micrographia. This report demonstrates the antiParkinsonian effect of picoTesla range MF and highlights the unique efficacy of these weak MF in the therapy of Parkinsonism.

Key Words:

• Magnetic fields
• Parkinson's disease
• micrographia
• pineal gland
• melatonin