Brain Stimul
-
Previous studies have claimed that weak transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) induces persisting activity changes in the human motor cortex and working memory, but to date no studies have evaluated the effects of tDCS on declarative memory. ⋯ The results indicated that active stimulation of the left DLPFC leads to an enhancement or impairment of verbal memorization depending on the polarity of the stimulation. Furthermore, this effect was specific to the site of stimulation.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcranial direct current stimulation in treatment resistant depression: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the prefrontal cortex has been proposed as therapeutic intervention in major depression. According to clinical needs, this study addresses the question whether tDCS is effective in treatment resistant major depressive episodes. ⋯ Anodal tDCS, applied for 2 weeks, was not superior to placebo treatment in patients with treatment resistant depression. However, secondary outcome measures are pointing to a positive effect of tDCS on emotions. Therefore, modified and improved tDCS protocols should be carried out in controlled pilot trials to develop tDCS towards an efficacious antidepressant intervention in therapy-resistant depression.
-
Clinical Trial
Intraoperative microelectrode recording for the delineation of subthalamic nucleus topography in Parkinson's disease.
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) as an effective target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in advanced Parkinson's disease is functionally divided into the dorsolateral sensorimotor and the ventromedial limbic and associative parts. To implant electrodes for DBS close to the sensorimotor region is considered crucial for optimal motor benefit and for avoidance of potential cognitive and behavioral side effects. ⋯ Among all parameters analyzed in the study, spike pattern is the only convenient electrophysiologic parameter for the differentiation of STN subregions in patients with Parkinson's disease. The autocorrelogram-based analysis of spike activity seems to be of certain value for the delineation of the dorsolateral STN and might therefore facilitate the precise electrode implantation for DBS.
-
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique that has been investigated as a therapeutic tool for different neurologic disorders. Neuronal excitability can be modified by application of DC in a polarity-specific manner: anodal tDCS increases excitability, while cathodal tDCS decreases excitability. Previous research has shown that simultaneous bilateral tDCS of the human motor cortex facilitates motor performance in the anodal stimulated hemisphere much more than when the same hemisphere is stimulated using unilateral anodal motor cortex tDCS. ⋯ This is the first study in which cortical excitability before and after bilateral motor cortex tDCS was extensively evaluated, and the effects of bilateral tDCS were compared with unilateral motor cortex tDCS. Simultaneous bilateral tDCS seems to be a useful tool to obtain increases in cortical excitability of one hemisphere whereas causing decreases of cortical excitability in the contralateral hemisphere (e.g.,to treat stroke).