Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Transcranial magnetic stimulation for pain control. Double-blind study of different frequencies against placebo, and correlation with motor cortex stimulation efficacy.
To assess, using a double-blind procedure, the pain-relieving effects of rTMS against placebo, and their predictive value regarding the efficacy of implanted motor cortex stimulation (MCS). ⋯ Defining rTMS parameters is a crucial step before proposing rTMS as predictive test of SCM efficacy in clinical practice.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
An endurance-strength training regime is effective in reducing myoelectric manifestations of cervical flexor muscle fatigue in females with chronic neck pain.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an endurance-strength training program is effective in reducing myoelectric manifestations of sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and anterior scalene (AS) muscle fatigue which have been found to be greater in people with chronic neck pain. ⋯ Provision of load to challenge the neck flexor muscles is required to reduce the fatigability of the SCM and AS muscles in people with neck pain. Improvements in cervical muscle strength and reduced fatigability may be responsible for the reported efficacy with this type of exercise program.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcranial DC stimulation (tDCS): a tool for double-blind sham-controlled clinical studies in brain stimulation.
Brain polarization in the form of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which influences motor function and learning processes, has been proposed as an adjuvant strategy to enhance training effects in Neurorehabilitation. Proper testing in Neurorehabilitation requires double-blind sham-controlled study designs. Here, we evaluated the effects of tDCS and sham stimulation (SHAM) on healthy subjects and stroke patients' self-report measures of attention, fatigue, duration of elicited sensations and discomfort. ⋯ tDCS could evolve into a useful tool, in addition to TMS, to modulate cortical activity in Neurorehabilitation.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Involuntary orientation of attention to unattended deviant nociceptive stimuli is modulated by concomitant visual task difficulty. Evidence from laser evoked potentials.
Recent laser evoked potential (LEP) studies showed that unattended rare intensity-deviant nociceptive stimuli enhance the LEP vertex positivity P2 ('P400 effect'). It was hypothesized to reflect an involuntary switch of attention to nociceptive events. If true the P400 effect (1) should be produced when attention is focused on a task in another sensory modality (primary task), and (2) should be modulated by the primary task difficulty. ⋯ The study provides electrophysiological evidences for an intrusive capacity of pain to attract attention and to decrease behavioural performance in concurrent processes. In turn, such an attentional shift is tampered if attention is very engaged in a concomitant task.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Improvement of motor performance and modulation of cortical excitability by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex in Parkinson's disease.
To assess the effects of focal motor cortex stimulation on motor performance and cortical excitability in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). ⋯ The present study gives some clues to appraise the role of the primary motor cortex in PD. Clinical improvement induced by rTMS was too short-lasting to consider therapeutic application, but these results support the perspective of the primary motor cortex as a possible target for neuromodulation in PD.