Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on brain network connectivity and complexity in motor imagery.

Related experiments have shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) anodal stimulation of the brain's primary motor cortex (M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA) can improve the motor control and clinical manifestations of stroke patients with aphasia and dyskinesia. In this study, to explore the different effects of tDCS on the M1 and SMA in motor imagery, 35 healthy volunteers participated in a double-blind randomized controlled experiment. Five subjects underwent sham stimulation (control), 15 subjects underwent tDCS anode stimulation of the M1, and the remaining 15 subjects underwent tDCS anode stimulation of the SMA. The electroencephalogram data of the subjects' left- and right-hand motor imagery under different stimulation paradigms were recorded. We used a functional brain network and sample entropy to examine the different complexities and functional connectivities in subjects undergoing sham-tDCS and the two stimulation paradigms. The results show that tDCS anodal stimulation of the SMA produces less obvious differences in the motor preparation phase, while tDCS anodal stimulation of the M1 produces significant differences during the motor imaging task execution phase. The effect of tDCS on the motor area of the brain is significant, especially in the M1.

The role of SOCS3 in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in rat model of inflammatory pain.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory molecular signals are modulated by a variety of intracellular transduction pathways, the activation of which may induce and amplify the spread of inflammatory response. Suppresser of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is an established negative feedback regulation transcription factor associated with tumor, diabetes mellitus, inflammation and anaphylaxis. Herein, we investigated whether SOCS3 in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) can attenuate pro-inflammatory responses, and thereby relieve the inflammatory pain. METHODS: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) overexpressing SOCS3 was pre-injected into the PVN. Three weeks later, rat model of chronic inflammatory pain was established via subcutaneous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the plantar center of hind paws. The therapeutic effect of SOCS3 was tested by the measurement of thermal and mechanical allodynia. In mechanistic study, the protein level of SOCS3 was evaluated by Western blotting, and the expression of c-fos and Iba-1 were assessed by immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: Inflammatory pain was associated with upregulated interleukin 6 (IL-6) and SOCS3 in PVN in the acute phase. Thermal hyperalgesia can be relieved by intra-PVN injection of IL-6 neutralizing antibody (NA). Meanwhile, the upregulated c-fos and microglial activation was reversed. Furthermore, SOCS3 expression in PVN was downregulated in the chronic phase. Intra-PVN injection of AAV overexpressing SOCS3 suppressed the activation of neurons and attenuated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. CONCLUSION: Inhibition of IL-6 signaling attenuated inflammatory hyperalgesia in the acute phase. SOCS3 overexpression in the PVN attenuated inflammatory pain in the chronic phase via suppression of neuronal activation.