Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) has recently been demonstrated to modulate cortical excitability and perceptual functions in humans, however, the effect of tSMS on motor behavior is still unknown. We investigated whether tSMS over the primary motor cortex (M1) alters voluntary ballistic force control. ⋯ tSMS over M1 can impair the accuracy of submaximal ballistic pinch force control. This suggests that tSMS is strong enough to alter motor behavior in humans.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of Paresthesia Coverage of Patient's Pain: Dorsal Root Ganglion vs. Spinal Cord Stimulation. An ACCURATE Study Sub-Analysis.
This was a sub-analysis of the ACCURATE clinical trial that evaluated the accuracy and necessity of targeting paresthesia coverage of painful areas with dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation vs. tonic spinal cord stimulation (SCS). ⋯ The results of this ACCURATE study sub-analysis show that DRG stimulation produces paresthesias, on average, that are less frequent, less intense, with a smaller footprint on the body and less dependent on positional changes.
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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has become increasingly popular during the last decades mainly driven by the antidepressant effects of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation with "butterfly" coils. Only recently, alternative targets such as the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) have been brought into focus and innovative coil designs such as the angled geometry of the double cone coil (DCC) have raised hope to reach even deeper located targets. ⋯ DCC stimulation over the dmPFC represents a promising approach in the fast evolving noninvasive brain stimulation techniques aiming at the functional modulation of brain areas vitally involved in affect, sensory autonomic, cognitive, and salience regulation. This may hold potential for both neuroscientific research and clinical applications in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Conventional polysomnographic recordings reflect brain dynamics associated with sleep architecture. We hypothesized that noninvasive tools like transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and acoustic stimulation (for generating event related potentials [ERPs]) would help to predict sleep stability and provide a window to actively assess brain activity during sleep. ⋯ Noninvasive brain stimulation approaches such as sleep ERP and sleep tACS are reliable tools to evaluate sleep stability during NREM and REM sleep, respectively, but more large-sample studies are warranted.
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Case Reports
Cervical and High-Thoracic Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation in Chronic Neuropathic Pain.
Dorsal root ganglion stimulation is a meanwhile established but rather new technique of neuromodulation to treat chronic pain states of different origin. While being primarily used in the lumbar region, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation also can be used in the upper thoracic and cervical region with slight alterations of the surgical approach. This offers new therapeutic options especially in the treatment of neuropathic pain states of the upper extremities. Data on surgical technique, outcome and complications rates of DRG in this region are limited. ⋯ Cervical and upper thoracic DRG stimulation resulted in good overall response rates to trialing and similar pain relief when compared to DRG stimulation for groin and lower limb pain. A modified surgical approach has to be used when compared with lumbar DRG electrode placement. Surgery itself in this region is more complication prone and challenging.