From left: First author Junho Lee (Graduate Researcher), First author Professor Jinseon Jeon, Corresponding author Professor Nyeonju Kang, Corresponding author Professor Ryul Kim

A joint research team led by Professor Nyeonju Kang from the Department of Sports Science at Incheon National University, Junho Lee, a graduate researcher at INU’s Graduate School (currently Ph.D. student at the University of Florida), Professor Ryul Kim of Boramae Medical Center at Seoul National University, and Professor Jinseon Jeon of Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, recently published their meta-analysis findings in Ageing Research Reviews (Impact Factor: 12.5), one of the leading SCIE journals in geriatrics and gerontology. The study was also selected for “People Who Brightened Korea through Science” by BRIC.

Improving motor function is one of the primary treatment goals for patients with Parkinson’s disease. While exercise is widely used as a non-pharmacological intervention, there is growing interest in combining it with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). To evaluate the effectiveness of this combined intervention, the research team conducted a meta-analysis based on 16 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 344 patients with Parkinson’s disease. They quantitatively compared the effects of exercise alone versus exercise combined with tDCS, analyzing how the results varied depending on motor subdomains, number of interventions, and stimulation sites.

The results showed that the combination of exercise and tDCS significantly improved overall motor function, with particularly notable effects on step length and gait speed. These improvements remained consistent regardless of the number of sessions or the brain regions targeted by tDCS. Meta-regression analysis also revealed that the combined intervention was more effective in female patients and those diagnosed with Parkinson’s for a shorter period.

The research team stated, “This study provides clear evidence that combining exercise with tDCS is effective in improving motor function—especially gait-related parameters—in Parkinson’s patients.” They added, “Given that the effectiveness varies by gender and disease duration, personalized intervention plans will become increasingly important in clinical practice.” They further emphasized, “Developing strategic protocols to sustain the effects of combined exercise and tDCS will also be a key consideration in future clinical applications.”