The International journal of neuroscience
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Comparative Study
Comparison of the after-effects of transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex in patients with stroke and healthy volunteers.
It is known that weak transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) induces persistent excitability changes in the cerebral cortex. There are, however, few studies that compare the after-effects of anodal versus cathodal tDCS in patients with stroke. This study assessed the after-effects of tDCS over the motor cortex in patients with hemiparetic stroke and healthy volunteers. ⋯ We found no significant change in the duration of the silent period after anodal or cathodal tDCS. We found that both anodal and cathodal tDCS increased the affected M1 excitability in patients with stroke. It is thought that the after-effects of tDCS are different in patients with stroke compared with healthy subjects.
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The hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors, better known as statins, are principally used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia and play a pivotal role in the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic heart disease and stroke. Evidence also exists for the potential benefits from statin use in a variety of other disease processes, conferred via their non-lipid lowering properties, which are known as pleiotropic effects. Our paper serves as a focused and updated discussion on the pleiotropic effects of statins in neurological disorders. Emphasis is placed on the discussion of randomized, placebo-controlled trials, and their importance in further elucidating this interesting phenomenon.