Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has emerged as a potential modulator of cognitive behavior that activates the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline (LC-NA) system. Previous studies explored both phasic and tonic taVNS by investigating their impact on LC-NA markers such as pupil dilation and heart rate variability (HRV). ⋯ Our findings suggest that tonic and event-related phasic taVNS may modulate noradrenergic activity, as evidenced by pupil responses and HRV changes during the change-detection task. This study provides new evidence regarding the impact of taVNS on cognitive tasks, thus supporting the development of noninvasive neuromodulation interventions.
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Despite the growing interest in transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (TUS), our understanding of its underlying mechanisms remains limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of TUS on several functional magnetic resonance imaging metrics by considering their latency, duration, and relationship with applied acoustic pressure. ⋯ These results suggest that some consequences of TUS might not be immediate, inviting us to revise the premise that TUS consequences are immediate and will progressively disappear.
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Patients with functional dyspepsia often exhibit gastrointestinal motor disorders associated with gastric myoelectrical dysrhythmia. This study investigated the effects of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) in a rodent model of gastric slow-wave dysrhythmia induced by colorectal distention (CRD). ⋯ VNS using optimal parameters effectively ameliorated CRD-induced gastric dysmotility mediated through the vagal-cholinergic pathway, suggesting that VNS may hold therapeutic potential for functional gastrointestinal disorders.
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Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) percutaneous lead placement has been effective in treating chronic limb, neck, and back pain. However, SCS lead placement poses a risk of neurologic injury, which may be attenuated with preprocedural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify potential spinal anatomical abnormalities (eg, central canal stenosis) that would either modify or prevent lead placement. However, a large-scale study of the clinical value of preoperative MRIs in percutaneous SCS lead placement is lacking. ⋯ Preprocedural MRIs did influence SCS trial progression. Given limited patient characteristics were significantly associated with a greater risk of stenosis at lead placement or entry zones, all patient populations should be considered for preprocedural MRIs examining lead entry and placement zones.
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Observational Study
Does Spinal Cord Stimulation Improve Sleep Disturbances Independently of Pain Relief in Patients With Chronic Pain? An Explorative, Observational Study.
Chronic pain poses a significant health challenge worldwide and is associated with both disability and reduced quality of life. Sleep disturbances are reported in 67% to 88% of patients with chronic pain. Pain and sleep affect each other reciprocally; we aimed to study this bidirectional relationship in patients treated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic pain. Specifically, we investigated whether sleep improves after treatment with SCS and whether this improvement may be mediated by pain reduction. ⋯ We found that patients treated with SCS showed significant improvements in both insomnia and pain intensity at first follow-up. Improvements in insomnia and pain intensity were significantly but weakly associated, and improvements in pain intensity score did not mediate improvements in insomnia score. Thus, improvements in self-reported insomnia in patients treated with SCS for chronic pain may predominantly be caused by other factors than reduced pain intensity.