Transcranial alternating current stimulation for treating spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: A randomized controlled trial

There are no specific treatments for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), a neurodegenerative disease causing cerebellar dysfunction. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can improve cerebellar motor functions, and it has been shown to be safe and effective in treating neurological diseases. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) explored the effects of tACS on SCA3 patients. Participants received either 40-min, 70 Hz, 2 mA tACS or sham stimulation daily for 2 weeks. The primary outcome was met by 80% of the active-tACS group (32/40) and 10% of the sham group (4/40). The active group also showed significantly greater reductions in the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) scores. No serious adverse events occurred, indicating high safety. Therefore, tACS is effective, safe, and feasible for treating SCA3. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05557786).