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During the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a sharp increase in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Acupuncture therapy has the advantages of accurate clinical efficacy, safety and reliability, few adverse reactions, and no dependence, and is gradually becoming one of the emerging therapies for treating GAD. We present a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial with the aim of exploring the mechanism of brain plasticity in patients with GAD and evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of acupuncture treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be used to assess cortical excitability in GAD patients and healthy people. Sixty-six GAD patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly divided into two groups: TA group, (treatment with acupuncture and basic western medicine treatment) and SA group (sham acupuncture and basic western medicine treatment). Twenty healthy people will be recruited as the control group (HC). The parameters that will be evaluated are amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), cortical resting period (CSP), resting motor threshold (RMT), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score. Secondary results will include blood analysis of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), serotonin (5-HT), and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF). Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention (week 8). This study protocol is the first clinical trial designed to detect differences in cerebral cortical excitability between healthy subjects and patients with GAD, and the comparison of clinical efficacy and reliability before and after acupuncture intervention is also one of the main contents of the protocol. We hope to find a suitable non-pharmacological alternative treatment for patients with GAD.
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Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) versus functional electrical stimulation (FES) in the treatment of post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome. Methods:The randomized controlled study included 60 patients with post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome who received treatment at the Wenzhou TCM Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University from July 2021 to February 2023. These patients were divided into an rTMS group ( n = 30) and an FES group ( n = 30) using a random number table method. Patients in the rTMS group were treated with rTMS, while those in the FES group were treated with FES. All treatments were performed once daily for 8 consecutive weeks. The clinical efficacy, total active movement score of the fingers, Fugl-Meyer assessment scale score, Activity of Daily Living score, modified Barthel Index score, shoulder joint range of motion, and safety were compared between the two groups. Results:The total response rate in the FES group was 86.7% (26/30), which was significantly higher than 83.3% (25/30) in the rTMS group ( Z = 0.09, P = 0.93). After treatment, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of total active movement score of the fingers and Fugl-Meyer assessment scale score ( P = 0.244, 0.262). No significant differences were found between the two groups in MBI score and ADL score (both P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in shoulder joint range of motion between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Both rTMS and FES are highly effective for post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome. They can improve upper limb function, enhance daily living abilities, and remodel neurological functions of the brain.
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Objective:To investigate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and its effect on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).Methods:A total of 130 patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia who received treatment at The Third Hospital of Quzhou from March 2021 to March 2023 were included in this randomized controlled study. They were divided into a control group and a study group ( n = 65 per group). Both groups of patients were treated with antipsychotic drugs. Based on this, patients in the study group were treated with high-frequency rTMS, while those in the control group were treated with pseudo-rTMS. After 8 weeks of treatment, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) scores were evaluated in each group before and after treatment. Serum BDNF levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Adverse reactions were observed during the treatment. Results:After 8 weeks of treatment, the PANSS negative subscale score and SANS score in the study group were (16.45 ± 3.98) points and (35.41 ± 6.29) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than (20.08 ± 4.16) points and (41.76 ± 7.36) points in the control group ( t = -7.46, -6.85, both P < 0.05). PSP score in the study group was (66.85 ± 8.93) points, which was significantly higher than (58.79 ± 8.28) points in the control group ( t = 5.62, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in PANSS positive subscale score, general psychopathology scale score or total score between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the serum BDNF level in the study group was (12.05 ± 2.13) μg/L, which was significantly higher than (8.86 ± 1.94) μg/L in the control group ( t = 9.73, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions during the treatment period between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Serum BDNF level was negatively correlated with PANSS and SANS scores ( r = -0.81, -0.85, both P < 0.001), while it was positively correlated with PSP score ( r = 0.82, P < 0.001). Conclusion:High-frequency rTMS can effectively alleviate the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, increase the secretion of BDNF, and be highly safe.
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Objective:To establish right middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)model in rats and to investigate the mechanism underlying motor function regulation by transcranial alternating current stimulation(tACS)intervention.Furthermore,to dynamically observe the effects of electroacupuncture combined with tACS on neurological defi-cit scores(NDS),cerebral blood flow,inflammatory-cell apoptosis gene of MCAO model rats and to explore the mechanism of cerebral and neural regulation on motor function rehabilitation after cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Method:Forty SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group(S group),model group(M group),electroacupuncture group(EA group),transcranial alternating current stimulation group(T group)and electroacupuncture combined with transcranial alternating current stimulation group(EA+T group).After 2 h ischemia-reperfusion,EA group was given bilateral Qu chi(LI 11)and Zu san li(ST 36)electroacupuncture under anesthesia.Right Ml was selected for tACS in T group.EA+T group was treated with EA and tACS to-gether.S and M group were treated with anesthesia for 30min per time,for 7 days.The data from before modling(B)to after modling(D7)were recorded,including neurological deficit score and blood flow of the right middle cerebral artery by laser doppler flowmetry.RT-PCR was used to analyze inflammation-cell apopto-sis gene expression at D7. Result:Neurological deficit score:at 2h,D1,M group,EA group,T group and EA+T group increased signifi-cantly compared with other time(P＜0.05).At D3,D5,D7,S group decreased significantly compared with oth-er time(P＜0.05),while M group increased significantly compared with other group(P＜0.05).EA group,T group and EA+T group were significantly different in all times(P＜0.05).At 2h,D1,D3,D5,D7,M group increased significantly compared with B.At D1,D3,D5,D7,NDS decreased significantly compared with that at 2h(P＜0.05).Blood flow:EA+T group and S group decreased at 2h,increased at D1 and decreased at D3.EA group increased at D3.However,M group decreased significantly compared with other group at D1,D3 and D5(P＜0.05).RT-PCR:motor cortex △Ct analysis:Caspase 12 in EA+T group decreased significantly compared with T group(P＜0.05),IL-1β and NLRPla in EA group and T group decreased significantly com-pared with those in S group(P＜0.05).2-△△Ct analysis in ischemic region:ATF4 in M group increased significant-ly compared with that in other groups(P＜0.05);Bcl 2 in M group increased significantly compared with that in S group,EA group and EA+T group(P＜0.05);Bax,Caspase 12,C-fos in M group increased significantly compared with those in S Group(P＜0.05). Conclusion:Electroacupuncture combined with tACS can modulate the inflammatory response and inhibit cell apoptosis through regulating ATF4、Bcl-2、Bax、Caspase 12、C-fos and can be a new strategy for the treatment of ischemic stroke.
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Objective:To observe the therapeutic effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation com-bined with rehabilitation robot on hand dysfunction in stroke patients. Method:Totally 36 patients with stroke hand dysfunction treated in the Rehabilitation Department of Jinshan Hospital were randomly divided into the experimental group(n=18)and the control group(n=18).Both groups of patients received routine treatment.Both groups were treated with 1Hz repetitive transcranial magnet-ic stimulation on the unaffected side,and the experimental group was added by a hand function rehabilitation robot.Both groups were treated 5 times a week for 4 weeks.The assessment were evaluated before treatment,2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment,including the latency of cortical motor evoked potential(MEP),central motor conduction time(CMCT),Fugl-Meyer assessment(FMA)score and motor intensity index(MI)score. Result:After 4 weeks of treatment,MEP,CMCT,FMA and MI of the two groups were significantly im-proved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.001).After 4 weeks of treatment,MEP,CMCT,FMA and MI in the experimental group were significantly improved compared with those in the control group(P＜0.05). Conclusion:The contralateral low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with rehabilita-tion robot can significantly improve hand dysfunction in stroke patients.
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Objective:To observe the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)on cognitive function,neuropsychiatric behavioral symptoms,expression of plasma microRNA-125b(miR-125b)and phosphorylated Tau181 protein(P-Tau181)of patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD). Method:Thirty-four patients with mild to moderate AD were screened and randomly divided into control group(n=16)and experimental group(n=18).The control group received cognitive training and repetitive tran-scranial magnetic pseudo-stimulation,and the experimental group received cognitive training and repetitive tran-scranial magnetic real stimulation.The magnetic stimulation intensity was 100％resting movement threshold(RMT),frequency was 10Hz.It's administered once a day,5 days a week for 4 weeks.The stimulation site were the left dorsolateral prefrontal lobe and left temporal lobe.The Addenbrooke Ⅲ cognitive examination(ACE-Ⅲ),mini-mental state scale(MMSE)and neuropsychiatric inventory(NPI)were evaluated before and af-ter treatment.The microRNA-125b expression was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and the concentration of P-Tau181 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Result:After treatment,the scores of ACE-Ⅲ,MMSE and NPI,miR-125b and P-Tau181 in the experimental group were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).There was no improvement of all indexes in the control group(P＞0.05). Conclusion:rTMS improve the cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients with mild to mod-erate AD,which may be related to the promotion of plasma miR-125b expression and inhibition of P-Taul81 protein production by rTMS.It is worthy for clinical application.
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Up to 90%of patients with Parkinson disease(PD)experience speech disorders that seriously affect quality of life.The new progress has been made on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)in the clinical practice of treating speech disorders in patients with PD in recent years.The studies showed that applying rTMS to the orofacial region of the primary motor cortex(M1)and the superior temporal gyrus(STG)could safely and effectively improve speech function of patients with PD with no reported side effects.The underlying mechanism may relate to ability of rTMS to modulate the degree of excitability and functional connectivity in speech-associated cerebral cortices,such as M1 and STG.In conclusion,rTMS has exhibited encouraging outcomes in managing speech disorders in patients with PD.However,the number of studies is still insufficient and more large-scale randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes are needed in the future to further support the findings of this review.
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Cognitive dysfunction is the impairment of higher brain functions.Cognitive impairment caused by neuropsychiatric diseases has caused serious impact on patients'quality of life and the outcome of the disease.The transcranial alternating current stimulation(tACS)improves cognitive function by modulating neural oscillations of specific frequencies,affecting the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine,and enhancing local and distal synchronization of brain networks.Specific frequencies of tACS can improve the cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer disease(AD),schizophrenia,and depression,among which the gamma and theta frequencies of tACS have the most significant effects on cognitive function.tACS has high safety and low operational difficulty,and has great potential to improve cognitive function.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of low-frequency and high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride on mild cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson disease (PD).Methods:Totally 90 PD patients with mild cognitive impairment who visited from January 2020 to June 2022 were included , and they were divided into a simple drug group ( n=30), drug+ low-frequency group ( n=30), and drug+ high-frequency group ( n=30) according to the order of admission.The patients in the simple drug group were treated with oral levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride, while the patients in drug+ low-frequency and drug+ high-frequency groups were treated with low-frequency or high-frequency rTMS on the basis of oral levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride.Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA), digital span (DS), Chinese auditory learning test (CALT), the judgment of line orientation test (JLOT) and verbal fluency test (VFT) were used to evaluate the cognitive function of patients before and after 4 weeks of treatment.SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis.The paired t-test was used for intra-group comparison before and after treatment, while one-way ANOVA was used for inter-group comparison. Results:There were no significant differences in MoCA, DS anterograde, DS backward, CALT immediate recall, CALT delayed recall, JLOT, and VFT scores among patients in the simple drug group before and after 4 weeks of treatment( t=-1.157, -0.648, -0.215, -0.290, -0.154, -0.782, -0.960, all P>0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, MoCA, DS anterograde, DS backward, CALT immediate recall, CALT delayed recall, JLOT and VFT scores in drug+ low-frequency group and drug+ high-frequency group were higher than before treatment (drug+ low frequency group: t=-16.357, -11.379, -7.999, -11.805, -16.624, -15.996, -17.241, all P<0.05; drug+ high-frequency group: t=-25.198, -13.971, -13.904, -25.831, -26.382, -20.108, -15.643, all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the scores of MoCA, DS anterograde, DS backward, CALT immediate recall, CALT delayed recall, JLOT and VFT among the three groups before treatment (all P>0.05). After treatment, there were statistically significant differences in the scores of MoCA, DS anterograde, DS backward, CALT immediate recall, CALT delayed recall, JLOT and VFT among the three groups (simple drug group : (20.37±1.96), (4.37±1.19), (2.80±0.55), (6.93±1.70), (5.17±1.09), (15.50±2.69), (10.73±1.55); drug+ low-frequency group: (23.83±2.32), (5.87±0.94), (3.87±0.73), (9.17±1.74), (8.13±1.50), (20.77±2.19), (13.30±1.73); drug+ high-frequency group: (27.17±1.64), (6.73±1.01), (4.80±0.81), (11.20±2.06), (10.03±1.54), (25.17±3.14), (15.87±2.05)) (all P<0.05). Further analysis showed that both the drug+ low-frequency and drug+ high-frequency groups had higher scores than the simple drug group, and the drug+ high-frequency group had higher scores than the drug+ low-frequency group(all P<0.05). Conclusion:The combination of drug+ low-frequency or drug+ high-frequency rTMS and drug therapy can help improve cognitive function in patients with PD, and the efficacy of drug+ high-frequency rTMS may be more significant, which provides a new therapeutic idea for clinical treatment of patients with PD.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on learning-memory and the expression of synaptic plasticity proteins in hippocampus of rats with post-stroke sleep deprivation.Methods:A total of 28 SPF grade healthy male Wistar rats with 8-week old were randomly divided into four groups (control group, sham operation group, model group and rTMS group) according to random number table method, with 7 rats in each group. The rats in the model group and the rTMS group were treated with middle cerebral artery occlusion and p-chlorophenylalanine intraperitoneal injection to establish the post-stroke sleep deprivation model. The rats in the rTMS group were treated with rTMS intervention for consecutive 14 days after modeling. The rats in the sham operation group were only separated arteries but not ligated and inserted. The rats in control group were fed normally. The open field test (OFT) was used to observe the autonomous behavior of rats.The water maze test(WMT) was used to observe the spatial learning and memory ability of rats.The content of tyrosine kinase receptor type B(TrkB) in hippocampus was detected by Western blot.The expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) and immediate early gene c-fos in hippocampus were detected by immunofluorescence.The morphology and structure of neurons in hippocampus were observed by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. SPSS 21.0 software was used for statistical analysis, and repeated measurement ANOVA was used for the escape latency data, one-way ANOVA was used for the comparison of other data among multiple groups, and LSD test was used for further pairwise comparison.Results:(1) The OFT results showed that there were statistical differences in the numbers of crossing squares, upright times and total points of rats in the four groups after intervention ( F=27.638, 10.425, 30.690, all P<0.001). The numbers of crossing squares ((72.71±10.10)), upright times ((6.57±0.87)times) and total points ((79.29±10.03) points) of rats in rTMS group were all higher than those in model group after intervention ((43.71±6.96), (3.43±0.65)times, (47.14±6.82)points) (all P<0.05). As for the escape latency of WMT among the four groups of rats, the interaction effect was not significant( F=1.108, P=0.37), and the time main effect( Ftime=27.295, Ptime<0.01) and group main effect ( Fgroup=8.691, Pgroup<0.01) were significant after rTMS intervention.On the 3rd and 4th day, the escape latency of rTMS group rats was lower than that of the model group (both P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in the numbers of crossing platform, swimming distance and residence time in target quadrant of rats in the four groups after intervention( F=8.569, 3.308, 3.547, all P<0.05). The numbers of crossing platform ((2.00±0.31)times), swimming distance in target quadrant ((196.95±24.57) cm) and residence time ((17.72±1.36)s) of rats in rTMS group were all higher than those in model group after intervention ((1.57±0.30)times, (146.61±4.79) cm, (13.58±0.98)s)(all P<0.05). (2)Optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that the hippocampal cells arranged irregularly, the organelles' integrity was destroyed in the model group compared with the normal control group. In rTMS group the arrangement and structure of nerve cells in the hippocampus were improved after rTMS intervention. (3) The immunofluorescence results showed that c-fos (1.49±0.09) and BDNF (0.84±0.06) in the hippocampus of rats in rTMS group were both higher than those in model group ((1.24±0.12), (0.48±0.08))(both P<0.05). The Western blot results showed that the expression level of TrkB (1.81±0.03) in the hippocampus of rats in rTMS group was higher than that in model group (0.96±0.02) ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The rTMS can improve the learning-memory ability and autonomous capacity of rats with post-stroke sleep deprivation, which may be related to promoting the expression of c-fos, BDNF and TrkB in hippocampus tissue.
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Objective To explore the application low of stimulation parameters of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)and transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)for post-stroke movement disorders based on data mining.Methods The relevant clinical research literature was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,CBM,PubMed and Web of Science from January 2000 to May 2023.A database was set up after quality assessment.Frequency analysis,association rules and complex network analysis were used to explore the application law of core acupoints and electrical stimulation parameters.Results A total of 79 articles were included and 128 groups of data were contained.For TEAS,the core acupoints included Waiguan(TE5),Shousanli(LI10),Zusanli(ST36),Hegu(LI4),Neiguan(PC6),Yanglingquan(GB34),etc.,while the most commonly used acupoint combinations of upper limb and lower limb were Shousanli(LI10)-Waiguan(TE5)and Yanglingquan(GB34)-Zusanli(ST36).Among the electrical stimulation parameters of TEAS,the frequencies used vary widely,and 100 Hz was most commonly used,while 2 Hz TEAS was also mainly used for stimulating acupoints located on upper limbs in the treatment of flaccid paralysis.The application of other electrical stimulation parameters was relatively consistent.The bidirectional symmetrical square-wave with 200-250 μs pulse-width was used in majority of studies.The stimulus intensity was mostly determined by patient tolerance.For tDCS,stimulation electrodes were often positioned on the projection of the primary M1,and the safe stimulus intensity was mostly set as 1 to 2 mA.Conclusion In the treatment of post-stroke movement disorders,appropriate acupoints and electrical stimulation parameters of TEAS should be determined on the muscle strength and muscle tension of stroke patients at different stages after stroke,particularly the selection of electric stimulating frequency.
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Objective:To determine the clinical application value of transcranial sonography (TCS) in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.Methods:A total of 50 children aged 6-12 years diagnosed with ADHD (ADHD group) and 45 age-matched healthy children (control group) who presented to Suzhou Municipal Hospital and Children′s Hospital of Soochow University from August 2021 to August 2022 were prospectively enrolled for TCS examination. ADHD was diagnosed in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-Ⅴ) criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association.Based on clinical symptom characteristics, ADHD was further classified into 3 subtypes, including 14 cases of predominantly inattentive, 3 cases of predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, and 33 cases of combined presentation. The substantia nigra(SN) hyperechoic area and the ratio of SN hyperechoic area to midbrain area (S/M) were measured and compared between the two groups. The examination of the correlation was performed between SN hyperechoic area, S/M ratio, and DSM-Ⅴ scores within the ADHD group.Results:Semi-quantitative analysis: the proportion of the SN grade Ⅲ or more in ADHD group was significantly higher than that in control group [96.00%(48/50) vs 13.3%(6/45), P<0.05]. Quantitative analysis: the area of SN hyperechogenicity and the ratio of S/M were significantly larger in ADHD group than in control group [0.32(0.22, 0.38)cm 2 vs 0.00(0.00, 0.00)cm 2, 7.08(5.11, 8.75)% vs 0.00(0.00, 0.00)%, all P<0.05]. Correlation analysis: The SN hyperechoic area and S/M ratio showed no significant correlations with DSM-Ⅴ scores in the ADHD group ( r=0.144, 0.142, all P>0.05). Conclusions:TCS can detect the SN echo enhancement of ADHD children, and the proportion of SN echo enhancement, SN hyperechoic area and S/M ratio are significantly higher than those of normal children, but the SN hyperecho area and S/M ratio are not significantly correlated with DSM-Ⅴ scores.
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Objective:To explore the changes of dynamic cerebral autoregulation ability in pilots exposed to acute positive acceleration(+ Gz) by transcranial Doppler combined with beat-to-beat blood pressure.Methods:A total of 26 pilots enrolled in the + 8Gz manned centrifuge trial at the Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University from June to October 2022 were prospectively included. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored in the resting state before the trial and within 5 min after centrifugation. Transcranial Doppler combined with noninvasive continuous beat-to-beat blood pressure monitor were used to detect bilateral middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity and beat-to-beat pulse pressure respectively. The transfer function analysis was applied to derive the parameters of cerebral blood flow autoregulation in each frequency band from 0.02 to 0.50 Hz, and the phase, gain and coherence were calculated. The above parameters were compared between resting state and after acute + 8Gz positive acceleration exposure.Results:Compared with the resting state, in all of the 26 pilots after acute + 8Gz positive acceleration exposure, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate increased significantly ( P<0.001), the phase significantly increased and the gain significantly decreased in the ultra-low frequency band (0.02-0.07 Hz) ( P<0.05); whereas there were no statistical differences of gain and phase in the low frequency band (0.07-0.20 Hz) and the high frequency band (0.20-0.50 Hz) (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Transcranial Doppler combined with beat-to-beat pulse pressure can be used for the assessment of changes in immediate dynamic cerebral autoregulation after acute + Gz exposure, and transfer function analysis of ultra-low frequency band parameters is suitable for this type of evaluation.
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Objective:To apply digital analysis to quantify hyperechogenicity of substantia nigra, and explore its clinical value for diagnosis of Parkinson′s disease (PD).Methods:The cross-sectional study included 652 PD patients (PD group) and 99 healthy controls (healthy control group) from November 2017 to October 2020 in Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. All subjects underwent transcranial sonography. The diagnostic accuracy of substantia nigra hyperechogenicity using digital analysis was compared with that in a manual measurement in PD. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to explore its diagnosis value in PD.Results:There were 482 subjects including 400 in the PD group and 82 in the healthy control group, whose quantified results of substantia nigra hyperechogenicity could be used for analysis. The ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve of the quantified larger substantia nigra hyperechoic region detection for diagnosing PD was 0.858 (95% CI 0.805-0.910), the sensitivity was 87.8%, and the specificity was 73.2%, consistent with that of doctors (area under the curve: 0.884). Further more, among these PD patients, there was no correlation between larger substantia nigra hyperechogenicity and age, age of onset, course of disease, non-motor symptoms, and motor symptoms (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Digital analysis was used to quantify the changes in substantia nigra hyperechogenicity in this seudy. The results showed that diagnostic accuracy for PD based on digital analysis was consistent with that of experienced clinicians.
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Cognitive decline is one of the main clinical symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases. There is no specific drug treatment, which seriously affects the quality of life and rehabilitation process of these patients. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technology such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation known as its advantages of non-invasive, painless, and easy to operate, has been used in clinical treatment of cognitive disorders. In particular, it has a good effect on improving cognitive functions such as memory, attention, orientation and language ability. In recent years, the study of cerebellar involvement in learning and memory through brain-cerebellar circuit has attracted much attention, and cerebellum has become a new target for NIBS technology exploration. However, the correlation between cerebellar NIBS and cognitive function regulation is still unclear. This paper aims to provide the evidences of the anatomic and functional basis of cerebellar involvement in cognitive function regulation and cerebellar non-invasive stimulation on cognitive function regulation.
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Objective:To investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with cryptogenic stroke with different right-to-left shunt (RLS) and possible mechanisms.Methods:Acute ischemic stroke patients aged 18-65 years, who admitted to the Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from April 2012 to July 2022, were etiologically classified according to the TOAST criteria. Cryptogenic stroke patients further underwent contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler (cTCD) examination. Patients with RLS (RLS grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ) were divided into large shunt group (RLS grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ, under normal breathing or after Valsalva manoeuvre) and small shunt group (RLS grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ, under normal breathing or after Valsalva manoeuvre). The chi-square test,Fisher's exact probability method and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare clinical and neuroimaging data between the 2 groups. And the RLS related factors as well as mechanisms of RLS-related stroke were further discussed through Spearman correlation and multiple Logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 167 cryptogenic stroke patients with RLS were included in this study. The male to female ratio was 88∶79. The onest age was (45.27±9.02) years. In the large shunt group, there were 92 patients (55.1%) with onset age of (45.61±9.32) years. In this group, 35 patients (38.0%) were males, 9 (9.8%) had hypertension, and 18 (19.6%) had smoking history; the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score was 7.08±0.12. In the small shunt group, there were 75 patients (44.9%) with onest age of (44.85±8.68) years. In this group, 53 patients (70.7%) were males, 29 (38.7%) had hypertension, and 31 (41.3%) had smoking history; the RoPE score was 6.20±0.14. Males (χ 2=17.640, P<0.001) as well as hypertension (χ 2=19.611, P<0.001) and smoking history (χ 2=9.443, P<0.01) were significantly less common in the large shunt group than in the small shunt group, while the RoPE score in the large shunt group was higher than that in the small shunt group ( F=21.580, P<0.001). All 6 pulmonary arteriovenous fistula cases (6.5%, 6/92) belonged to the large shunt group. There was no pulmonary arteriovenous fistula patient in the small shunt group ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in age of onset, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, previous stroke/transient ischemic attack, or family history of stroke between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that female ( OR=2.848, 95 %CI 1.223-6.632, P<0.05) and no history of hypertension ( OR=3.937, 95 %CI 1.593-9.727, P<0.01) were significantly associated with large shunt. The neuroimaging features were analyzed through comparing offending vessels as well as spatial distribution of lesions between the 2 groups. Results:showed that infarct location of 54 cases (58.7%) was in the unilateral anterior circulation area, 34 cases (37.0%) in the posterior circulation area, no case in the bilateral anterior circulation area, and both of anterior and posterior circulation areas were involved in 4 cases (4.3%) in the large shunt group. Of all the large shunt group patients, 31 (33.7%) had cortical infarcts, 9 (9.8%) had subcortical infarcts, 36 (39.1%) had deep infarcts, and 16 (17.4%) had mixed multiple infarcts. In the small shunt group, infarct location of 36 cases (48.0%) was in the unilateral anterior circulation area, 29 cases (38.7%) in the posterior circulation area, 4 cases (5.3%) in the bilateral anterior circulation area, and both of anterior and posterior circulation areas were involved in 7 cases (9.3%). Of all the small shunt group patients, 7 (9.3%) had cortical infarcts, 8 (10.7%) had subcortical infarcts, 39 (52.0%) had deep infarcts, and 21 (28.0%) had mixed multiple infarcts. Logistic regression analysis showed that cortical infarction was associated with large shunt ( OR=5.981,95 %CI 1.882-19.007, P<0.01), and there was no statistically significant difference in other types of infarction distribution between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Among cryptogenic stroke patients with RLS, large shunt was more common in females, patients with no history of hypertension, and those with higher RoPE score as well as more cortical infarction, suggesting that there was a strong link between stroke and large RLS, which revealed the underlying mechanism of embolism in patients with stroke and large RLS. In the small shunt group, there were more males and hypertensive patients, suggesting atherosclerosis was more likely involved in pathogenic mechanism of stroke patients with small RLS.
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Objective:To evaluate the effect of combining contralateral high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with biofeedback-controlled empty swallowing training on dysphagia among stroke survivors.Methods:Eighty dysphagic stroke survivors were divided at random into a control group, a biofeedback group, an rTMS group and a combined treatment group, each of 20. In addition to routine dysphagia rehabilitation, the biofeedback group and the rTMS group received empty swallowing training based on biofeedback or high-frequency rTMS applied to the healthy motor cortex as appropriate. The combined treatment group was given both. The treatment was administered once daily, 5 days a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Before and after the treatment, all of the subjects′ swallowing was evaluated using the penetration aspiration scale (PAS), functional oral intake scale (FOIS) and a standardized swallowing assessment (SSA). The latency and amplitude of the mylohyoid muscle′s motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were also recorded before and after the treatment.Results:After the treatment, significant improvement was observed in the average PAS, FOIS and SSA scores as well as in the latency and amplitude of the MEPs in the four groups. The average results in the combined treatment group were significantly better than in the other 3 groups. The latency of the mylohyoid muscle′s MEP was significantly shorter in the combined group than in the control and biofeedback groups on average, while the amplitude was significantly greater than in the control group.Conclusion:Combining contralateral high frequency rTMS with empty swallowing training based on biofeedback can better improve the swallowing of dysphagic stroke survivors.
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Objective:To explore any effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the upper limb motor function and cerebral cortex activation of stroke survivors.Methods:Sixty stroke survivors were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group, each of 30. In addition to routine rehabilitation training (including drug therapy, comprehensive hemiplegic limb training and physical factor therapy), the intervention group received 15 minutes of rTMS daily, five days a week for 4 weeks while the control group was given false rTMS. Upper limb motor function was evaluated before and after the treatment using the Fugl Meyer upper limb motor function rating scale (FMA-UE). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to detect and compare the activation (β values) of the prefrontal cortex, the motor cortex and the primary somatosensory cortex in the 2 groups. The correlation between the FMA-UE scores and the β values was quantified.Results:①There was no significant difference in the average FMA-UE scores between the two groups before the treatment. Afterward, though both groups′ average scores had increased significantly, there was significantly greater improvement in the treatment group. ②There was also no significant difference in average β value between the two groups before the experiment, but afterward the average βs of channels 27 and 13 in the intervention group were significantly higher than in the control group. Moreover, in patients with lesion in the left brain, the β-values of CH27 and CH13 were also significantly higher than the control group ( P<0.05). ③The FMA-UE scores of the intervention group were moderately correlated with the CH27 and CH13 β values, but those of the control group were only weakly correlated with the β values of CH27. Conclusion:Transcranial magnetic stimulation activates a lesioned left brain region, improving upper limb motor function. The improvement is correlated with the activation of the left prefrontal cortex and the left primary somatosensory cortex.
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Objective:To observe any effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on sleep disorders among children with cerebral palsy (CP).Methods:A total of 102 children with CP and disordered sleep were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each of 51. All were given routine rehabilitation and sleep health education, but the experimental group additionally received rTMS for two weeks. The polysomnography (PSG) results of the two groups were recorded and analyzed.Results:The PSG parameters had improved greatly in both groups after the treatment. The percentage of N2 sleep (depth of sleep during light sleep) in the severe cerebral palsy group and of N3 sleep (depth of sleep during deep sleep) in the moderate cerebral palsy group had increased significantly more than in the mild cerebral palsy group, on average. After the intervention the percentages of N2 and N3 in those with mixed cerebral palsy and of N3 in those with involuntary motor cerebral palsy had increased significantly more than in those with spastic cerebral palsy, on average.Conclusion:rTMS treatment can improve the sleep disorders of children with cerebral palsy, especially N2 sleep among children with moderate to severe cerebral palsy, N3 sleep in cases of mixed or dyskinetic CP.
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Objective:To explore the utility of applying low frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the acute stage of ischemic stroke in terms of improving upper limb motor function.Methods:Eighty ischemic stroke survivors in the acute stage were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 40 in each. In addition to routine rehabilitation, the experimental group was given low frequency rTMS, while the control group was provided with sham rTMS. Before and after 4-weeks of treatment, upper limb motor function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer rating scale (FMA), Wolf motor function tests (WMFTs), the modified Barthel index (MBI) and in terms of motor evoked potential (MEP) latency and amplitude.Results:There were no significant differences between the two groups before the treatment. Afterward, however, the average FMA, WMFT, MBI scores had improved significantly more in the experimental group, on average, as had the average MEP amplitude.Conclusion:Low frequency rTMS in the acute phase of ischemic stroke can improve upper limb motor function and ability in the activities of daily living.