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Qiu YT, Chen Y, Tan HX, Su W, Guo QF, Gao Q. Efficacy and Safety of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Cerebellar Ataxia: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:243-254. [PMID: 36604400 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01508-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxia(CA) is defined as a degenerative disease of the nervous system. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been a promising treatment for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Hence, to find out whether cerebellar rTMS impacts CA as a potential therapy, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Qualified studies through a systematic search were retrieved for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using acknowledged databases. Review Manager 5.4 software was employed to synthesize the data. A total of seven studies were identified as eligible and included in the quantitative review. Comparing real and sham-rTMS interventions, the utilization of rTMS on cerebellum improved the scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) (SMD - 0.87, 95% CI - 1.41 to - 0.34; P = 0.001; I2 = 62%), the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) (SMD - 1.06, 95% CI - 1.47 to - 0.64; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) and Berg balance Scale (BBS) (SMD 0.76, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.19; P = 0.0005; I2 = 39%). The subgroup analysis demonstrated high-frequency of rTMS had a positive effect (SMD - 1.28, 95% CI - 1.82 to - 0.74; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%). For the safety, the incidence of adverse events between the two groups was not significantly different (OR 1.73, 95% CI 0.55 to 5.46; P = 0.35; I2 = 0%). In conclusion, this meta-analysis provided limited evidence, suggesting a possible strategy that rTMS over the cerebellum could be a viable therapy for symptoms associated with CA. Besides, rTMS intervention was well-attended and did not result in unanticipated negative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Tong Qiu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Hui-Xin Tan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Wei Su
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qi-Fan Guo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
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Zhan X, Do LV, Zou L, Zhan RS, Jones M, Nawaz S, Manaye K. Harmaline toxicity on dorsal striatal neurons and its role in tremor. Neurotoxicology 2023; 99:152-161. [PMID: 37838252 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Harmaline is one of the β-carboline derivative compounds that is widely distributed in the food chain and human tissues. Harmine, a dehydrogenated form of harmaline, appeared to have a higher concentration in the brain, and appeared to be elevated in essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease. Exogenous harmaline exposure in high concentration has myriad consequences, including inducing tremor, and causing neurodegeneration of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Harmaline-induced tremor is an established animal model for human ET, but its underlying mechanism is still controversial. One hypothesis posits that the inferior olive-cerebellum pathway is involved, and CaV3.1 T-type Ca2+ channel is a critical target of action. However, accumulating evidence indicates that tremor can be generated without disturbing T-type channels. This implies that additional neural circuits or molecular targets are involved. Using in vitro slice Ca2+-imaging and patch clamping, we demonstrated that harmaline reduced intracellular Ca2+ and suppressed depolarization-induced spiking activity of medium spiny striatal neurons (MSN), and this effect of harmaline can be partially attenuated by sulpiride (5 µM). In addition, the frequencies of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic currents (sEPSCs) on MSNs were also significantly attenuated. Furthermore, the induced tremor in C57BL/6 J mice by harmaline injections (i.p. 12.5-18 mg/kg) was also shown to be attenuated by sulpiride (20 mg/kg). This series of experiments suggests that the dorsal striatum is a site of harmaline toxic action and might contribute to tremor generation. The findings also provide evidence that D2 signaling might be a part of the mechanism underlying essential tremor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiping Zhan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Ly V Do
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Li Zou
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Ryan Shu Zhan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Michael Jones
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Saba Nawaz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Kebreten Manaye
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
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Ilg W, Milne S, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Alcock L, Beichert L, Bertini E, Mohamed Ibrahim N, Dawes H, Gomez CM, Hanagasi H, Kinnunen KM, Minnerop M, Németh AH, Newman J, Ng YS, Rentz C, Samanci B, Shah VV, Summa S, Vasco G, McNames J, Horak FB. Quantitative Gait and Balance Outcomes for Ataxia Trials: Consensus Recommendations by the Ataxia Global Initiative Working Group on Digital-Motor Biomarkers. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023:10.1007/s12311-023-01625-2. [PMID: 37955812 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01625-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
With disease-modifying drugs on the horizon for degenerative ataxias, ecologically valid, finely granulated, digital health measures are highly warranted to augment clinical and patient-reported outcome measures. Gait and balance disturbances most often present as the first signs of degenerative cerebellar ataxia and are the most reported disabling features in disease progression. Thus, digital gait and balance measures constitute promising and relevant performance outcomes for clinical trials.This narrative review with embedded consensus will describe evidence for the sensitivity of digital gait and balance measures for evaluating ataxia severity and progression, propose a consensus protocol for establishing gait and balance metrics in natural history studies and clinical trials, and discuss relevant issues for their use as performance outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winfried Ilg
- Section Computational Sensomotorics, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN), Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Sarah Milne
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Physiotherapy Department, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, Australia
| | - Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation of Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Neuroscience Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa Alcock
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Lukas Beichert
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Enrico Bertini
- Research Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Bambino Gesu' Children's Research Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Helen Dawes
- NIHR Exeter BRC, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Hasmet Hanagasi
- Behavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Martina Minnerop
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1)), Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Center for Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andrea H Németh
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jane Newman
- NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yi Shiau Ng
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Clara Rentz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1)), Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
| | - Bedia Samanci
- Behavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Vrutangkumar V Shah
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- APDM Precision Motion, Clario, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Susanna Summa
- Movement Analysis and Robotics Laboratory (MARLab), Neurorehabilitation Unit, Neurological Science and Neurorehabilitation Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gessica Vasco
- Movement Analysis and Robotics Laboratory (MARLab), Neurorehabilitation Unit, Neurological Science and Neurorehabilitation Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - James McNames
- APDM Precision Motion, Clario, Portland, OR, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Fay B Horak
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- APDM Precision Motion, Clario, Portland, OR, USA
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Maas RPPWM, Faber J, van de Warrenburg BPC, Schutter DJLG. Interindividual differences in posterior fossa morphometry affect cerebellar tDCS-induced electric field strength. Clin Neurophysiol 2023; 153:152-165. [PMID: 37499446 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinical, behavioural, and neurophysiological effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are highly variable and difficult to predict. We aimed to examine associations between cerebellar tDCS-induced electric field strength, morphometric posterior fossa parameters, and skin-cerebellum distance. As a secondary objective, field characteristics were compared between cephalic and extracephalic electrode configurations. METHODS Electric field simulations of midline cerebellar tDCS (7 × 5 cm electrodes, current intensities of 2 mA) were performed on MRI-based head models from 37 healthy adults using buccinator, frontopolar, and lower neck reference electrodes. Average field strengths were determined in eight regions of interest (ROIs) covering the anterior and posterior vermis and cerebellar hemispheres. Besides skin-cerebellum distance, various angles were measured between posterior fossa structures. Multivariable linear regression models were used to identify predictors of field strength in different ROIs. RESULTS Skin-cerebellum distance and "pons angle" were independently associated with field strength in the anterior and posterior vermis. "Cerebellar angle" and skin-cerebellum distance affected field strength in anterior and posterior regions of the right cerebellar hemisphere. Field strengths in all examined cerebellar areas were highest in the frontopolar and lowest in the lower neck montage, while the opposite was found for field focality. The lower neck montage induced considerably less spreading toward anterior cerebellar regions compared with the buccinator and frontopolar montages, which resulted in a more evenly distributed field within the cerebellum. CONCLUSION In addition to skin-cerebellum distance, interindividual differences in posterior fossa morphometry, specifically pons and cerebellar angle, explain part of the variability in cerebellar tDCS-induced electric field strength. Furthermore, when targeting the midline cerebellum with tDCS, an extracephalic reference electrode is associated with lower field strengths and higher field focality than cephalic montages. SIGNIFICANCE This study identifies two novel subject-specific anatomical factors that partly determine cerebellar tDCS-induced electric field strength and reveals differences in field characteristics between electrode montages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick P P W M Maas
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Jennifer Faber
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Bart P C van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Matsugi A, Nishishita S, Bando K, Kikuchi Y, Tsujimoto K, Tanabe Y, Yoshida N, Tanaka H, Douchi S, Honda T, Odagaki M, Nakano H, Okada Y, Mori N, Hosomi K. Excessive excitability of inhibitory cortical circuit and disturbance of ballistic targeting movement in degenerative cerebellar ataxia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13917. [PMID: 37626122 PMCID: PMC10457313 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41088-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate abnormalities in inhibitory cortical excitability and motor control during ballistic-targeting movements in individuals with degenerative cerebellar ataxia (DCA). Sixteen participants took part in the study (DCA group [n = 8] and healthy group [n = 8]). The resting motor-threshold and cortical silent period (cSP) were measured in the right-hand muscle using transcranial magnetic stimulation over the left primary motor cortex. Moreover, the performance of the ballistic-targeting task with right wrist movements was measured. The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia was used to evaluate the severity of ataxia. The results indicated that the cSP was significantly longer in participants with DCA compared to that in healthy controls. However, there was no correlation between cSP and severity of ataxia. Furthermore, cSP was linked to the ballistic-targeting task performance in healthy participants but not in participants with DCA. These findings suggest that there is excessive activity in the gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated cortical inhibitory circuit in individuals with DCA. However, this increase in inhibitory activity not only fails to contribute to the control of ballistic-targeting movement but also shows no correlation with the severity of ataxia. These imply that increased excitability in inhibitory cortical circuits in the DCA may not contribute the motor control as much as it does in healthy older adults under limitations associated with a small sample size. The study's results contribute to our understanding of motor control abnormalities in people with DCA and provide potential evidence for further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiyoshi Matsugi
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shijonawate Gakuen University, Hojo 5-11-10, Daitou City, Osaka, 574-0011, Japan.
| | - Satoru Nishishita
- Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Tokuyukai Medical Corporation, 3-11-1 Sakuranocho, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-0054, Japan
- Kansai Rehabilitation Hospital, 3-11-1 Sakuranocho, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-0054, Japan
| | - Kyota Bando
- National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, 187-0031, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kikuchi
- Department of Rehabilitation for Intractable Neurological Disorders, Institute of Brain and Blood Vessels Mihara Memorial Hospital, Ohtamachi 366, Isesaki City, Gunma, 372-0006, Japan
| | - Keigo Tsujimoto
- National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, 187-0031, Japan
| | - Yuto Tanabe
- Department of Rehabilitation for Intractable Neurological Disorders, Institute of Brain and Blood Vessels Mihara Memorial Hospital, Ohtamachi 366, Isesaki City, Gunma, 372-0006, Japan
| | - Naoki Yoshida
- Okayama Healthcare Professional University, 3-2-18 Daiku, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama, 700-0913, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tanaka
- KMU Day-Care Center Hirakata, Kansai Medical University Hospital, Shinmachi 2-3-1, Hirakata City, Osaka, 573-1191, Japan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kansai Medical University, Shinmachi 2-5-1, Hirakata City, Osaka, 573-1010, Japan
| | - Shinya Douchi
- Department of Rehabilitation, National Hospital Organization Wakayama Hospital, Hukakusamukaihatacyo1-1, Husimi-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto, 612-8555, Japan
| | - Takeru Honda
- The Center for Personalized Medicine for Healthy Aging, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Masato Odagaki
- Maebashi Institute of Technology, Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
| | - Hideki Nakano
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yohei Okada
- Neurorehabilitation Research Center of Kio University, Koryo-cho, Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara, 635-0832, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Mori
- Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita City, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Koichi Hosomi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita City, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
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Destrebecq V, Naeije G. Cognitive impairment in essential tremor assessed by the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome scale. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1224478. [PMID: 37662041 PMCID: PMC10473101 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1224478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Essential tremor (ET) is a movement disorder characterized by cerebellar neurodegenerative changes. ET is also associated with non-motor symptoms including cognitive impairment. The neuropsychologic profile of a patient with ET could relate to cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS). Objective This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cognitive impairment in patients with ET and identify whether the cognitive impairment in ET corresponds to a CCAS. Methods Cognitive functions were evaluated with the CCAS-Scale (CCAS-S) in 20 patients with ET and 20 controls matched for age, sex, and level of education. The results of the CCAS-S were compared between patients and controls. The underlying determinant of CCAS inpatients with ET was identified through the correlation between the results of the CCAS-S and age at onset of symptoms, disease duration, and the Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale (TETRAS). Results On a group level, ET patients performed significantly worse than matched controls. In total, 13 individuals with ET had a definite CCAS (CCAS-S failed items ≥ 3). ASO and TETRAS scores significantly correlated with CCAS-S performances in ET patients. Conclusion CCAS is highly prevalent in patients with ET which supports the cerebellar pathophysiology of associated cognitive impairment and supports a more systematic use of the CCAS-S to cognitively assessed patients with ET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Destrebecq
- Clinique Universitaire de Bruxelles (CUB) Hôpital Erasme, Department of Neurology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratoire de Neuroanatomie et Neuroimagerie translationnelles, UNI-ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gilles Naeije
- Clinique Universitaire de Bruxelles (CUB) Hôpital Erasme, Department of Neurology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratoire de Neuroanatomie et Neuroimagerie translationnelles, UNI-ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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Olivier C, Lamy JC, Kosutzka Z, Van Hamme A, Cherif S, Lau B, Vidailhet M, Karachi C, Welter ML. Cerebellar Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Essential Tremor Patients with Thalamic Stimulation: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:1109-1119. [PMID: 37097344 PMCID: PMC10457262 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01372-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Essential tremor (ET) is a disabling condition resulting from a dysfunction of cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuitry. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) or lesion of the ventral-intermediate thalamic nucleus (VIM) is an effective treatment for severe ET. Transcranial cerebellar brain stimulation has recently emerged as a non-invasive potential therapeutic option. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of high-frequency non-invasive cerebellar transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in severe ET patients already operated for VIM-DBS. Eleven ET patients with VIM-DBS, and 10 ET patients without VIM-DBS and matched for tremor severity, were included in this double-blind proof-of-concept controlled study. All patients received unilateral cerebellar sham-tACS and active-tACS for 10 min. Tremor severity was blindly assessed at baseline, without VIM-DBS, during sham-tACS, during and at 0, 20, 40 min after active-tACS, using kinetic recordings during holding posture and action ('nose-to-target') task and videorecorded Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) clinical scales. In the VIM-DBS group, active-tACS significantly improved both postural and action tremor amplitude and clinical (FTM scales) severity, relative to baseline, whereas sham-tACS did not, with a predominant effect for the ipsilateral arm. Tremor amplitude and clinical severity were also not significantly different between ON VIM-DBS and active-tACS conditions. In the non-VIM-DBS group, we also observed significant improvements in ipsilateral action tremor amplitude, and clinical severity after cerebellar active-tACS, with a trend for improved postural tremor amplitude. In non-VIM-DBS group, sham- active-tACS also decreased clinical scores. These data support the safety and potential efficacy of high-frequency cerebellar-tACS to reduce ET amplitude and severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Olivier
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- PANAM Core Facility, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Charles Lamy
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- PANAM Core Facility, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute, Paris, France
- Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Hôpital Salpetriere, DMU Neuroscience 6, Paris, France
| | - Zuzana Kosutzka
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Hôpital Salpetriere, DMU Neuroscience 6, Paris, France
| | - Angèle Van Hamme
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- PANAM Core Facility, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute, Paris, France
| | - Saoussen Cherif
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Brian Lau
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Marie Vidailhet
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Hôpital Salpetriere, DMU Neuroscience 6, Paris, France
| | - Carine Karachi
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- Department of Neurosurgery, AP-HP, Hôpital Salpetriere, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Laure Welter
- Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 47 Bd de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
- PANAM Core Facility, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute, Paris, France.
- Clinical Investigation Center, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France.
- Department of Neurophysiology, Rouen University Hospital, University of Rouen, Rouen, France.
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Matsugi A, Ohtsuka H, Bando K, Kondo Y, Kikuchi Y. Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation for degenerative cerebellar ataxia: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e073526. [PMID: 37385745 PMCID: PMC10314638 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To date, the medical and rehabilitation needs of people with degenerative cerebellar ataxia (DCA) are not fully met because no curative treatment has yet been established. Movement disorders such as cerebellar ataxia and balance and gait disturbance are common symptoms of DCA. Recently, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation, have been reported as possible intervention methods to improve cerebellar ataxia. However, evidence of the effects of NIBS on cerebellar ataxia, gait ability, and activity of daily living is insufficient. This study will aim to systematically evaluate the clinical effects of NIBS on patients with DCA. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We will conduct a preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. We will include randomised controlled trials to assess the effects of NIBS on patients with DCA. The primary clinical outcome will be cerebellar ataxia, as measured by the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale. The secondary outcomes will include gait speed, functional ambulatory capacity and functional independence measure, as well as any other reported outcomes that the reviewer considers important. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL and PEDro. We will assess the strength of the evidence included in the studies and estimate the effects of NIBS. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Because of the nature of systematic reviews, no ethical issues are anticipated. This systematic review will provide evidence on the effects of NIBS in patients with DCA. The findings of this review are expected to contribute to clinical decision-making towards selecting NIBS techniques for treatment and generating new clinical questions to be addressed. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42023379192.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiyoshi Matsugi
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shijonawate Gakuen University, Daito, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ohtsuka
- Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences, Showa University, Midoriku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kyota Bando
- Department of Physical Rehabilitation, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Kondo
- Department of Physical Rehabilitation, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kikuchi
- Department of Rehabilitation for Intractable Neurological Disorders, Mihara Memorial Hospital, Isesaki, Gunma, Japan
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9
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Benussi A, Batsikadze G, França C, Cury RG, Maas RPPWM. The Therapeutic Potential of Non-Invasive and Invasive Cerebellar Stimulation Techniques in Hereditary Ataxias. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081193. [PMID: 37190102 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The degenerative ataxias comprise a heterogeneous group of inherited and acquired disorders that are characterized by a progressive cerebellar syndrome, frequently in combination with one or more extracerebellar signs. Specific disease-modifying interventions are currently not available for many of these rare conditions, which underscores the necessity of finding effective symptomatic therapies. During the past five to ten years, an increasing number of randomized controlled trials have been conducted examining the potential of different non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to induce symptomatic improvement. In addition, a few smaller studies have explored deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the dentate nucleus as an invasive means to directly modulate cerebellar output, thereby aiming to alleviate ataxia severity. In this paper, we comprehensively review the clinical and neurophysiological effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and dentate nucleus DBS in patients with hereditary ataxias, as well as the presumed underlying mechanisms at the cellular and network level and perspectives for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Benussi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giorgi Batsikadze
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Carina França
- Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
| | - Rubens G Cury
- Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
| | - Roderick P P W M Maas
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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10
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Lv Y, Wang M, Yang J, Shi J, Xuan T, Zhang J, Du D, Cheng J, Li H. Cerebellar repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation versus propranolol for essential tremor. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2926. [PMID: 36806734 PMCID: PMC10013940 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Propranolol, a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocker, has long been used as one of the standard treatments for essential tremor (ET). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has also been used for a long time as a substitution therapy for ET patients. OBJECTIVE The main aim of this study was to evaluate the antitremor effect of 1-Hz (low-frequency) cerebellar rTMS and compare it to the use of propranolol in ET patients. METHODS In this single-blinded, randomized, controlled pilot study, a total of 38 patients with ET were randomized into two groups. One group (n = 20) received 1200 pulses of 1-Hz rTMS at an intensity of 90% of the resting motor threshold to the bilateral cerebellar region for 10 days. Another group (n = 18) received oral propranolol for 30 days. The initial dose was 30 mg/day, which was increased to 60 mg/day after 5 days, then to 90 mg/day on the 11th day, and continued thereafter for 20 days. The Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) clinical scale was assessed at baseline and at days 5, 10, and 30 to evaluate tremor severity, specific motor tasks, and functional disability. RESULTS Low-frequency rTMS of the cerebellum significantly improved tremor severity, specific motor tasks (writing, spiral drawing, and pouring), and FTM total scores on days 10 and 30. Nevertheless, we found no significant difference in functional disability at any point in time (p > .05). There were no statistically significant differences in FTM Part A, Part B, Part C scores and total scores of patients in propranolol group on days 5 and 10 compared with before treatment (p > .05). However, FTM total scores and FTM Part A, Part B, and Part C scores were significantly improved for patients when the dose of propranolol was 90 mg/day on day 30. Our study showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the total FTM scores and FTM Part A, Part B, and Part C scores between rTMS and propranolol on days 5, 10, and 30 (p > .05). CONCLUSION We conclude that both cerebellar low-frequency rTMS and propranolol could be effective treatment options for patients with ET, but it is not clear which method is more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Lv
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Mengran Wang
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering Technology Research Center of Nervous System Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, China
| | - Jin Shi
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Tingting Xuan
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Junmei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Dandan Du
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Jiang Cheng
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering Technology Research Center of Nervous System Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, China
| | - Haining Li
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering Technology Research Center of Nervous System Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, China
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11
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The Perturbational Map of Low Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Primary Motor Cortex in Movement Disorders. BRAIN DISORDERS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dscb.2023.100071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
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12
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Khatoun A, Asamoah B, Boogers A, Mc Laughlin M. Epicranial Direct Current Stimulation Suppresses Harmaline Tremor in Rats. Neuromodulation 2022:S1094-7159(22)01223-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurom.2022.08.448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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13
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Essential tremor and cognitive impairment: who, how, and why. Neurol Sci 2022; 43:4133-4143. [DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06037-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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14
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Maas RPPWM, Teerenstra S, Toni I, Klockgether T, Schutter DJLG, van de Warrenburg BPC. Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Trial. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:1259-1272. [PMID: 35501469 PMCID: PMC9059914 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01231-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeated sessions of cerebellar anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been suggested to modulate cerebellar-motor cortex (M1) connectivity and decrease ataxia severity. However, therapeutic trials involving etiologically homogeneous groups of ataxia patients are lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate if a two-week regimen of daily cerebellar tDCS sessions diminishes ataxia and non-motor symptom severity and alters cerebellar-M1 connectivity in individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). We conducted a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial in which twenty mildly to moderately affected SCA3 patients received ten sessions of real or sham cerebellar tDCS (i.e., five days per week for two consecutive weeks). Effects were evaluated after two weeks, three months, six months, and twelve months. Change in Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) score after two weeks was defined as the primary endpoint. Static posturography, SCA Functional Index tests, various patient-reported outcome measures, the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome scale, and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation to examine cerebellar brain inhibition (CBI) served as secondary endpoints. Absolute change in SARA score did not differ between both trial arms at any of the time points. We observed significant short-term improvements in several motor, cognitive, and patient-reported outcomes after the last stimulation session in both groups but no treatment effects in favor of real tDCS. Nonetheless, some of the patients in the intervention arm showed a sustained reduction in SARA score lasting six or even twelve months, indicating interindividual variability in treatment response. CBI, which reflects the functional integrity of the cerebellothalamocortical tract, remained unchanged after ten tDCS sessions. Albeit exploratory, there was some indication for between-group differences in SARA speech score after six and twelve months and in the number of extracerebellar signs after three and six months. Taken together, our study does not provide evidence that a two-week treatment with daily cerebellar tDCS sessions reduces ataxia severity or restores cerebellar-M1 connectivity in early-to-middle-stage SCA3 patients at the group level. In order to potentially increase therapeutic efficacy, further research is warranted to identify individual predictors of symptomatic improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick P P W M Maas
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Steven Teerenstra
- Department for Health Evidence, Biostatistics Section, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ivan Toni
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas Klockgether
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Bart P C van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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15
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Mai AS, Yong JH, Lim OZH, Tan EK. Non-Invasive Electrical Stimulation in Patients with Neurodegenerative Ataxia and Spasticity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Eur J Neurol 2022; 29:2842-2850. [PMID: 35666142 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are limited treatment options for patients with neurodegenerative ataxia and spasticity. Non-invasive electrostimulation (NES) is receiving increasing interest because of its ease of implementation, cost-effectiveness, and safety. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of NES. METHODS We screened Medline and Embase for studies using NES in ataxias and spasticity. Key outcome measurements of effectiveness included changes in: (1) Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores, (2) cerebellar brain inhibition (CBI), (3) 9-hole peg test (9HPT), (4) 8-meter walking time (8MWT), (5) International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) scores, (6) Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) scores. RESULTS Seven randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 203 patients were included. There were significant improvements in MAS (MD -0.42, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.08, P=0.015), CBI (MD -0.35%, 95% CI -0.42 to -0.28, P<0.001), 8MWT (MD -1.88 seconds, 95% CI -3.26 to -0.49, P=0.008), ICARS (MD -7.84, 95% CI -11.90 to -3.78, P<0.001), and SARA (MD -3.01, 95% CI -4.74 to -1.28, P<0.001). There was almost no heterogeneity across all outcomes except for CBI (I2 =79%). No significant changes in 9HPT were observed when comparing NES to a sham procedure (MD -3.52 seconds, 95% CI -9.15 to 2.10, P=0.220). Most included studies were at low risk of bias, and no severe adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that NES is an effective treatment for improving coordination and balance, and increased exercise capacity in patients with ataxia and spasticity. There was also a significant modulation of CBI in ataxic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Shengting Mai
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jung Hahn Yong
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Oliver Zi Hern Lim
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eng-King Tan
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital Campus, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore.,Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
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16
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Sasaki R, Hand BJ, Liao WY, Rogasch NC, Fernandez L, Semmler JG, Opie GM. Utilising TMS-EEG to Assess the Response to Cerebellar-Brain Inhibition. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022:10.1007/s12311-022-01419-y. [PMID: 35661100 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01419-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cerebellar-brain inhibition (CBI) is a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigm indexing excitability of cerebellar projections to motor cortex (M1). Stimulation involved with CBI is often considered to be uncomfortable, and alternative ways to index connectivity between cerebellum and the cortex would be valuable. We therefore sought to assess the utility of electroencephalography in conjunction with TMS (combined TMS-EEG) to record the response to CBI. A total of 33 volunteers (25.7 ± 4.9 years, 20 females) participated across three experiments. These investigated EEG responses to CBI induced with a figure-of-eight (F8; experiment 1) or double cone (DC; experiment 2) conditioning coil over cerebellum, in addition to multisensory sham stimulation (experiment 3). Both F8 and DC coils suppressed early TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs) produced by TMS to M1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the TEP produced by CBI stimulation was related to the motor inhibitory response to CBI recorded in a hand muscle (P < 0.05), but only when using the DC coil. Multisensory sham stimulation failed to modify the M1 TEP. Cerebellar conditioning produced changes in the M1 TEP that were not apparent following sham stimulation, and that were related to the motor inhibitory effects of CBI. Our findings therefore suggest that it is possible to index the response to CBI using TMS-EEG. In addition, while both F8 and DC coils appear to recruit cerebellar projections, the nature of these may be different.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sasaki
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - B J Hand
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - W Y Liao
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - N C Rogasch
- Discipline of Psychiatry, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - L Fernandez
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - J G Semmler
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - G M Opie
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.
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17
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Zheng K, Chen M, Shen Y, Xu X, Gao F, Huang G, Ji Y, Su B, Song D, Fang H, Liu P, Ren C. Cerebellar Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation for Aphasia Rehabilitation: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:909733. [PMID: 35721014 PMCID: PMC9201405 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.909733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundLanguage recovery is limited in moderate to severe post-stroke aphasia patients. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising tool in improving language dysfunctions caused by post-stroke aphasia, but the treatment outcome is as yet mixed. Considerable evidence has demonstrated the essential involvement of the cerebellum in a variety of language functions, suggesting that it may be a potential stimulation target of TMS for the treatment of post-stroke aphasia. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a specific pattern of rTMS with shorter stimulation times and better therapeutic effects. The effect of continuous TBS (cTBS) on the cerebellum in patients with aphasia with chronic stroke needs further exploration.MethodsIn this randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial, patients (n = 40) with chronic post-stroke aphasia received 10 sessions of real cTBS (n = 20) or sham cTBS (n = 20) over the right cerebellar Crus I+ a 30-min speech-language therapy. The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) serves as the primary measure of the treatment outcome. The secondary outcome measures include the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, Boston Naming Test and speech acoustic parameters. Resting-state fMRI data were also obtained to examine treatment-induced changes in functional connectivity of the cerebro-cerebellar network. These outcome measures are assessed before, immediately after, and 12 weeks after cerebellar cTBS intervention.DiscussionThis protocol holds promise that cerebellar cTBS is a potential strategy to improve language functions in chronic post-stroke aphasia. The resting-state fMRI may explore the neural mechanism underlying the aphasia rehabilitation with cerebellar cTBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zheng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Mingyun Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Rehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinlei Xu
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Fanglan Gao
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Guilan Huang
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yingying Ji
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Bin Su
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Da Song
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hui Fang
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Peng Liu,
| | - Caili Ren
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
- *Correspondence: Caili Ren,
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18
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Maas RPPWM, Schutter DJLG, Toni I, Timmann D, van de Warrenburg BPC. Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation modulates timing but not acquisition of conditioned eyeblink responses in SCA3 patients. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:806-813. [PMID: 35597518 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delay eyeblink conditioning is an extensively studied motor learning paradigm that critically depends on the integrity of the cerebellum. In healthy individuals, modulation of cerebellar excitability using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to alter the acquisition and/or timing of conditioned eyeblink responses (CRs). It remains unknown whether such effects can also be elicited in patients with cerebellar disorders. OBJECTIVE To investigate if repeated sessions of cerebellar tDCS modify acquisition and/or timing of CRs in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) and to evaluate possible associations between disease severity measures and eyeblink conditioning parameters. METHODS Delay eyeblink conditioning was examined in 20 mildly to moderately affected individuals with SCA3 and 31 healthy controls. After the baseline session, patients were randomly assigned to receive ten sessions of cerebellar anodal tDCS or sham tDCS (i.e., five days per week for two consecutive weeks). Patients and investigators were blinded to treatment allocation. The same eyeblink conditioning protocol was administered directly after the last tDCS session. The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome scale (CCAS-S), and disease duration were used as clinical measures of disease severity. RESULTS At baseline, SCA3 patients exhibited significantly fewer CRs than healthy controls. Acquisition was inversely associated with the number of failed CCAS-S test items but not with SARA score. Onset and peak latencies of CRs were longer in SCA3 patients and correlated with disease duration. Repeated sessions of cerebellar anodal tDCS did not affect CR acquisition, but had a significant treatment effect on both timing parameters. While a shift of CRs toward the conditioned stimulus was observed in the sham group (i.e., timing became more similar to that of healthy controls, presumably reflecting the effect of a second eyeblink conditioning session), anodal tDCS induced a shift of CRs in the opposite direction (i.e., toward the unconditioned stimulus). CONCLUSION Our findings provide the first evidence that cerebellar tDCS is capable of modifying cerebellar function in SCA3 patients. Future studies should assess whether this intervention similarly modulates temporal processing in other degenerative ataxias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick P P W M Maas
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ivan Toni
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Dagmar Timmann
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Bart P C van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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19
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Wang L, Huang G, Zhang L, Yang J, Ren C, Liang C, Shen Y, Su B. Effects of the Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation of the Cerebellar Vermis on Balance Recovery After Stroke: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:881311. [PMID: 35572148 PMCID: PMC9099377 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.881311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The recovery of balance function is a critical segment in the rehabilitation treatment of stroke. The cerebellum is considered as the key structure involved in balance and motor control. The cerebellar vermis plays an important role in integrating vision, proprioception, and sensory skin input and may be a candidate stimulation target for regulating the motor network related with balance. However, evidence that the intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) of cerebellar vermis can promote the recovery of balance function after stroke remains insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to explore the efficacy of the cerebellar vermis iTBS for the treatment of balance function in patients with stroke. Methods and Analysis Forty patients with stroke will be recruited in this prospective, randomized, sham-controlled trial. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 15 sessions of cerebellar vermis iTBS (600 pulses) or sham stimulation. Additionally, a routine rehabilitation therapy follows the intervention. The primary outcome is the Berg Balance Scale, and the secondary outcomes are the Fugl–Meyer assessment of the lower extremity and modified Barthel index. The above outcomes will be assessed before intervention and at the end of each week. Pre- and post-iTBS resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) will be acquired, and the regional homogeneity, fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and functional connectivity will be calculated and analyzed. Discussion This protocol holds promise as a potential method to improve balance function in patients with stroke. If the outcomes of patients improve after the intervention, the study will provide new insights into improving balance function. Ethics and Dissemination This study has been approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Wuxi Mental Health Center (Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital). Results will be disseminated through (open-access) peer-reviewed publications, networks of scientists, professionals, and the public and presented at conferences. Clinical Trial Registration Number www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100052590.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Guilan Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Jinyu Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Caili Ren
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Chengpan Liang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Rehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Shen,
| | - Bin Su
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wuxi Tongren Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, China
- Bin Su,
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20
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Cho HJ. Is essential tremor a degenerative or an electrical disorder? Electrical disorder. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 163:103-128. [PMID: 35750360 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common movement disorders, yet we do not have a complete understanding of its pathophysiology. From a phenomenology standpoint, ET is an isolated tremor syndrome of bilateral upper limb action tremor with or without tremor in other body locations. ET is a pathological tremor that arises from excessive oscillation in the central motor network. The tremor network comprises of multiple brain regions including the inferior olive, cerebellum, thalamus, and motor cortex, and there is evidence that a dynamic oscillatory disturbance within this network leads to tremor. ET is a chronic disorder, and the natural history shows a slow progression of tremor intensity with age. There are reported data suggesting that ET follows the disease model of a neurodegenerative disorder, however whether ET is a degenerative or electrical disorder has been a subject of debate. In this chapter, we will review cumulative evidence that ET as a syndrome is a fundamentally electric disorder. The etiology is likely heterogenous and may not be primarily neurodegenerative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Joo Cho
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
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21
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Bhidayasiri R, Maytharakcheep S, Phumphid S, Maetzler W. Improving functional disability in patients with tremor: A clinical perspective of the efficacies, considerations, and challenges of assistive technology. J Neurol Sci 2022; 435:120197. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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22
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Cerebellar tDCS as Therapy for Cerebellar Ataxias. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 21:755-761. [PMID: 35060077 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-021-01357-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, a growing body of literature has investigated the use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques to influence cerebellar activity and the effects of cerebellar stimulation on other brain regions through its multiple complex projections. From the early 1990s, with the discovery of the so-called cerebellar inhibition (CBI), several studies have focused their attention on the use of cerebellar NIBS as treatment for different motor disorders. Cerebellar ataxias (CAs) represent the prototypical clinical manifestation of cerebellar alterations, but other movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia have also been associated with alterations of networks which include the cerebellum, or of the cerebellum itself. Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (ctDCS) could indeed represent an economical, non-invasive therapeutic tool with minimal side effects, thus improving the clinical management of patients and their quality of life. Studies show that ctDCS is effective as a therapeutic option for motor symptoms in patients with CAs, and especially in those with less severe forms, suggesting that ctDCS efficacy could result from augmented neuronal compensation, which itself relies on preserved cerebellar volume. Evidence for the efficacy of ctDCS is less conclusive for the other aforementioned motor disorders, although preliminary results are promising. Future studies should adopt more rigorous methods (e.g., larger sample sizes, double blinding, better characterization of the sample, reliable biomarkers), in order to allow the scientific community to derive higher-quality evidence on the efficacy of ctDCS as a therapeutic option for motor disorders.
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23
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Nieuwhof F, Toni I, Dirkx MF, Gallea C, Vidailhet M, Buijink AWG, van Rootselaar AF, van de Warrenburg BPC, Helmich RC. Cerebello-thalamic activity drives an abnormal motor network into dystonic tremor. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 33:102919. [PMID: 34929584 PMCID: PMC8688717 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Dystonic tremor syndromes are highly burdensome and treatment is often inadequate. This is partly due to poor understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. Several lines of research suggest involvement of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit and the basal ganglia in dystonic tremor syndromes, but their role is unclear. Here we aimed to investigate the contribution of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit and the basal ganglia to the pathophysiology of dystonic tremor syndrome, by directly linking tremor fluctuations to cerebral activity during scanning. In 27 patients with dystonic tremor syndrome (dystonic tremor: n = 23; tremor associated with dystonia: n = 4), we used concurrent accelerometery and functional MRI during a posture holding task that evoked tremor, alternated with rest. Using multiple regression analyses, we separated tremor-related activity from brain activity related to (voluntary) posture holding. Using dynamic causal modelling, we tested for altered effective connectivity between tremor-related brain regions as a function of tremor amplitude fluctuations. Finally, we compared grey matter volume between patients (n = 27) and matched controls (n = 27). We found tremor-related activity in sensorimotor regions of the bilateral cerebellum, contralateral posterior and anterior ventral lateral nuclei of the thalamus (VLp and VLa), contralateral primary motor cortex (hand area), contralateral pallidum, and the bilateral frontal cortex (laterality with respect to the tremor). Grey matter volume was increased in patients compared to controls in the portion of contralateral thalamus also showing tremor-related activity, as well as in bilateral medial and left lateral primary motor cortex, where no tremor-related activity was present. Effective connectivity analyses showed that inter-regional coupling in the cerebello-thalamic pathway, as well as the thalamic self-connection, were strengthened as a function of increasing tremor power. These findings indicate that the pathophysiology of dystonic tremor syndromes involves functional and structural changes in the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit and pallidum. Deficient input from the cerebellum towards the thalamo-cortical circuit, together with hypertrophy of the thalamus, may play a key role in the generation of dystonic tremor syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freek Nieuwhof
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ivan Toni
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel F Dirkx
- Department of Neurology, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Cecile Gallea
- MOV'IT Section (Movement Investigations and Therapeutics), Paris Brain Institute (CNRS/INSERM UMR 7225/1127), Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Marie Vidailhet
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM) UMR 1127, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpétrière, Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Arthur W G Buijink
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, 1105 AZ Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anne-Fleur van Rootselaar
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, 1105 AZ Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bart P C van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rick C Helmich
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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24
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Transcranial direct current stimulation of cerebellum alters spiking precision in cerebellar cortex: A modeling study of cellular responses. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009609. [PMID: 34882680 PMCID: PMC8691604 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the cerebellum has rapidly raised interest but the effects of tDCS on cerebellar neurons remain unclear. Assessing the cellular response to tDCS is challenging because of the uneven, highly stratified cytoarchitecture of the cerebellum, within which cellular morphologies, physiological properties, and function vary largely across several types of neurons. In this study, we combine MRI-based segmentation of the cerebellum and a finite element model of the tDCS-induced electric field (EF) inside the cerebellum to determine the field imposed on the cerebellar neurons throughout the region. We then pair the EF with multicompartment models of the Purkinje cell (PC), deep cerebellar neuron (DCN), and granule cell (GrC) and quantify the acute response of these neurons under various orientations, physiological conditions, and sequences of presynaptic stimuli. We show that cerebellar tDCS significantly modulates the postsynaptic spiking precision of the PC, which is expressed as a change in the spike count and timing in response to presynaptic stimuli. tDCS has modest effects, instead, on the PC tonic firing at rest and on the postsynaptic activity of DCN and GrC. In Purkinje cells, anodal tDCS shortens the repolarization phase following complex spikes (-14.7 ± 6.5% of baseline value, mean ± S.D.; max: -22.7%) and promotes burstiness with longer bursts compared to resting conditions. Cathodal tDCS, instead, promotes irregular spiking by enhancing somatic excitability and significantly prolongs the repolarization after complex spikes compared to baseline (+37.0 ± 28.9%, mean ± S.D.; max: +84.3%). tDCS-induced changes to the repolarization phase and firing pattern exceed 10% of the baseline values in Purkinje cells covering up to 20% of the cerebellar cortex, with the effects being distributed along the EF direction and concentrated in the area under the electrode over the cerebellum. Altogether, the acute effects of tDCS on cerebellum mainly focus on Purkinje cells and modulate the precision of the response to synaptic stimuli, thus having the largest impact when the cerebellar cortex is active. Since the spatiotemporal precision of the PC spiking is critical to learning and coordination, our results suggest cerebellar tDCS as a viable therapeutic option for disorders involving cerebellar hyperactivity such as ataxia. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the cerebellum is gaining momentum as a neuromodulation tool for the treatment of neurological diseases like movement disorders. Nonetheless, the response of cells in the cerebellum to tDCS is unclear and hardly generalizes from our understanding of tDCS of the cerebral cortex. We use computational models to investigate the response of several types of cerebellar neurons to the electric field induced by tDCS and show that, differently from the cerebral cortex, tDCS has significant acute effects on the cerebellar cortex. These effects (i) primarily alter the way Purkinje cells encode synaptic stimuli from the molecular layer and (ii) can help hyperactive cells regain postsynaptic spiking precision. Since the spatiotemporal precision of the Purkinje cell spiking is critical to learning and coordination, the study shows how tDCS can operate at the cellular level to treat movement disorders like tremor and ataxia.
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25
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Tan HX, Wei QC, Chen Y, Xie YJ, Guo QF, He L, Gao Q. The Immediate Effects of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation of the Cerebellar Vermis on Cerebral Cortical Excitability During a Balance Task in Healthy Individuals: A Pilot Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:748241. [PMID: 34867241 PMCID: PMC8632863 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.748241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: This pilot study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of single-session intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) on the cerebellar vermis during a balance task, which could unveil the changes of cerebral cortical excitability in healthy individuals. Subjects: A total of seven right-handed healthy subjects (26.86 ± 5.30 years) were included in this study. Interventions: Each subject received single-session iTBS on cerebellar vermis in a sitting position. Main Measures: Before and after the intervention, all subjects were asked to repeat the balance task of standing on the left leg three times. Each task consisted of 15 s of standing and 20 s of resting. Real-time changes in cerebral cortex oxygen concentrations were monitored with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). During the task, changes in blood oxygen concentration were recorded and converted into the mean HbO2 for statistical analysis. Results: After stimulation, the mean HbO2 in the left SMA (P = 0.029) and right SMA (P = 0.043) significantly increased compared with baseline. However, no significant changes of mean HbO2 were found in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal lobe (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Single-session iTBS on the cerebellar vermis in healthy adults can increase the excitability of the cerebral cortex in the bilateral supplementary motor areas during balance tasks. Clinical Trial Registration: [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [ChiCTR2100048915].
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Xin Tan
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing-Chuan Wei
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Chen
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yun-Juan Xie
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qi-Fan Guo
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin He
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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26
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Manto M, Argyropoulos GPD, Bocci T, Celnik PA, Corben LA, Guidetti M, Koch G, Priori A, Rothwell JC, Sadnicka A, Spampinato D, Ugawa Y, Wessel MJ, Ferrucci R. Consensus Paper: Novel Directions and Next Steps of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation of the Cerebellum in Health and Disease. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 21:1092-1122. [PMID: 34813040 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-021-01344-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The cerebellum is involved in multiple closed-loops circuitry which connect the cerebellar modules with the motor cortex, prefrontal, temporal, and parietal cortical areas, and contribute to motor control, cognitive processes, emotional processing, and behavior. Among them, the cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathway represents the anatomical substratum of cerebellum-motor cortex inhibition (CBI). However, the cerebellum is also connected with basal ganglia by disynaptic pathways, and cerebellar involvement in disorders commonly associated with basal ganglia dysfunction (e.g., Parkinson's disease and dystonia) has been suggested. Lately, cerebellar activity has been targeted by non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to indirectly affect and tune dysfunctional circuitry in the brain. Although the results are promising, several questions remain still unsolved. Here, a panel of experts from different specialties (neurophysiology, neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology) reviews the current results on cerebellar NIBS with the aim to derive the future steps and directions needed. We discuss the effects of TMS in the field of cerebellar neurophysiology, the potentials of cerebellar tDCS, the role of animal models in cerebellar NIBS applications, and the possible application of cerebellar NIBS in motor learning, stroke recovery, speech and language functions, neuropsychiatric and movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Manto
- Service de Neurologie, CHU-Charleroi, 6000, Charleroi, Belgium.,Service Des Neurosciences, UMons, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Georgios P D Argyropoulos
- Division of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Tommaso Bocci
- Aldo Ravelli Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Neurotherapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142, Milan, Italy.,ASST Santi Paolo E Carlo, Via di Rudinì, 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Pablo A Celnik
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville. Victoria, Australia
| | - Matteo Guidetti
- Aldo Ravelli Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Neurotherapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142, Milan, Italy.,Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico Di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, via Ardeatina 306, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Priori
- Aldo Ravelli Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Neurotherapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142, Milan, Italy.,ASST Santi Paolo E Carlo, Via di Rudinì, 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - John C Rothwell
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Anna Sadnicka
- Motor Control and Movement Disorders Group, St George's University of London, London, UK.,Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Danny Spampinato
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, via Ardeatina 306, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Yoshikazu Ugawa
- Department of Human Neurophysiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Maximilian J Wessel
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics (CNP) and Brain Mind Institute (BMI), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland.,Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics (CNP) and Brain Mind Institute (BMI), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL Valais), Clinique Romande de Réadaptation, Sion, Switzerland
| | - Roberta Ferrucci
- Aldo Ravelli Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Neurotherapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142, Milan, Italy. .,ASST Santi Paolo E Carlo, Via di Rudinì, 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
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27
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Wang SM, Chan YW, Tsui YO, Chu FY. Effects of Anodal Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Movements in Patients with Cerebellar Ataxias: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10690. [PMID: 34682435 PMCID: PMC8535754 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (cerebellar tDCS) is a promising therapy for cerebellar ataxias and has attracted increasing attention from researchers and clinicians. A timely systematic review focusing on randomized sham-controlled trials and repeated measures studies is warranted. This study was to systematically review existing evidence regarding effects of anodal cerebellar tDCS on movements in patients with cerebellar ataxias. The searched databases included Web of Science, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and EBSCOhost. Methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Five studies with 86 patients were identified. Among these, four studies showed positive effects of anodal cerebellar tDCS. Specifically, anodal cerebellar tDCS decreased disease severity and improved finger dexterity and quality of life in patients, but showed incongruent effects on gait control and balance, which may be due to heterogeneity of research participants and choices of measures. The protocols of anodal cerebellar tDCS that improved movements in patients commonly placed the anode over the whole cerebellum and provided ten 2-mA 20-min stimulation sessions. The results may show preliminary evidence that anodal cerebellar tDCS is beneficial to reducing disease severity and improving finger dexterity and quality of life in patients, which lays the groundwork for future studies further examining responses in the cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathway. An increase in sample size, the use of homogeneous patient groups, exploration of the optimal stimulation protocol, and investigation of detailed neural mechanisms are clearly needed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Mei Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; (Y.-W.C.); (Y.-O.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
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28
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Louis ED, Faust PL. Essential Tremor Within the Broader Context of Other Forms of Cerebellar Degeneration. THE CEREBELLUM 2021; 19:879-896. [PMID: 32666285 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01160-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Essential tremor (ET) has recently been reconceptualized by many as a degenerative disease of the cerebellum. Until now, though, there has been no attempt to frame it within the context of these diseases. Here, we compare the clinical and postmortem features of ET with other cerebellar degenerations, thereby placing it within the broader context of these diseases. Action tremor is the hallmark feature of ET. Although often underreported in the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), action tremors occur, and it is noteworthy that in SCA12 and 15, they are highly prevalent, often severe, and can be the earliest disease manifestation, resulting in an initial diagnosis of ET in many cases. Intention tremor, sometimes referred to as "cerebellar tremor," is a common feature of ET and many SCAs. Other features of cerebellar dysfunction, gait ataxia and eye motion abnormalities, are seen to a mild degree in ET and more markedly in SCAs. Several SCAs (e.g., SCA5, 6, 14, and 15), like ET, follow a milder and more protracted disease course. In ET, numerous postmortem changes have been localized to the cerebellum and are largely confined to the cerebellar cortex, preserving the cerebellar nuclei. Purkinje cell loss is modest. Similarly, in SCA3, 12, and 15, Purkinje cell loss is limited, and in SCA12 and 15, there is preservation of cerebellar nuclei and relative sparing of other central nervous system regions. Both clinically and pathologically, there are numerous similarities and intersection points between ET and other disorders of cerebellar degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elan D Louis
- Department of Neurology and Therapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Phyllis L Faust
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
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29
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Novaes NP, Balardin JB, Hirata FC, Melo L, Amaro E, Barbosa ER, Sato JR, Cardoso EF. Global efficiency of the motor network is decreased in Parkinson's disease in comparison with essential tremor and healthy controls. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02178. [PMID: 34302446 PMCID: PMC8413813 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Graph theory (GT) is a mathematical field that analyses complex networks that can be applied to neuroimaging to quantify brain's functional systems in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). OBJECTIVES To evaluate the functional connectivity (FC) measured by the global efficiency (GE) of the motor network in PD and compare it to ET and healthy controls (HC), and correlate it to clinical parameters. METHODS 103 subjects (54PD, 18ET, 31HC) were submitted to structural and functional MRI. A network was designed with regions of interest (ROIs) involved in motor function, and GT was applied to determine its GE. Clinical parameters were analyzed as covariates to estimate the impact of disease severity and medication on GE. RESULTS GE of the motor circuit was reduced in PD in comparison with HC (p .042). Areas that most contributed to it were left supplementary motor area (SMA) and bilateral postcentral gyrus. Tremor scores correlated positively with GE of the motor network in PD subgroups. For ET, there was an increase in the connectivity of the anterior cerebellar network to the other ROIs of the motor circuit in comparison with PD. CONCLUSIONS FC measured by the GE of the motor network is diminished in PD in comparison with HC, especially due to decreased connectivity of left SMA and bilateral postcentral gyrus. This finding supports the theory that there is a global impairment of the motor network in PD, and it does not affect just the basal ganglia, but also areas associated with movement modulation. The ET group presented an increased connectivity of the anterior cerebellar network to the other ROIs of the motor circuit when compared to PD, which reinforces what it is known about its role in this pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Pelizari Novaes
- Neurology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.,Radiology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Hôpital du Valais, Sion, Switzerland
| | | | - Fabiana Campos Hirata
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.,Radiology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciano Melo
- Neurology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edson Amaro
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.,Radiology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ellison Fernando Cardoso
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.,Radiology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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30
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Lin Q, Chang Y, Liu P, Jones JA, Chen X, Peng D, Chen M, Wu C, Liu H. Cerebellar Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation Facilitates Auditory-Vocal Integration in Spinocerebellar Ataxia. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:455-466. [PMID: 34240142 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies have shown the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation in treating movement disorders in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). However, whether similar effects occur for their speech motor disorders remains largely unknown. The present event-related potential study investigated whether and how abnormalities in auditory-vocal integration associated with SCA can be modulated by neuronavigated continuous theta burst stimulation (c-TBS) over the right cerebellum. After receiving active or sham cerebellar c-TBS, 19 patients with SCA were instructed to produce sustained vowels while hearing their voice unexpectedly pitch-shifted by ±200 cents. Behaviorally, active cerebellar c-TBS led to smaller magnitudes of vocal compensations for pitch perturbations than sham stimulation. Parallel modulatory effects were also observed at the cortical level, as reflected by increased P1 and P2 responses but decreased N1 responses elicited by active cerebellar c-TBS. Moreover, smaller magnitudes of vocal compensations were predicted by larger amplitudes of cortical P1 and P2 responses. These findings provide the first neurobehavioral evidence that c-TBS over the right cerebellum produces modulatory effects on abnormal auditory-motor integration for vocal pitch regulation in patients with SCA, offering a starting point for the treatment of speech motor disorders associated with SCA with cerebellar c-TBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Lin
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yichen Chang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jeffery A Jones
- Psychology Department and Laurier Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Danhua Peng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingyuan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanjun Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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31
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Benussi A, Cantoni V, Manes M, Libri I, Dell'Era V, Datta A, Thomas C, Ferrari C, Di Fonzo A, Fancellu R, Grassi M, Brusco A, Alberici A, Borroni B. Motor and cognitive outcomes of cerebello-spinal stimulation in neurodegenerative ataxia. Brain 2021; 144:2310-2321. [PMID: 33950222 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxias represent a heterogeneous group of disabling disorders characterized by motor and cognitive disturbances, for which no effective treatment is currently available. In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, followed by an open-label phase, we investigated whether treatment with cerebello-spinal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could improve both motor and cognitive symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative ataxia at short and long-term. Sixty-one patients were randomized in two groups for the first controlled phase. At baseline (T0), Group 1 received placebo stimulation (sham tDCS) while Group 2 received anodal cerebellar tDCS and cathodal spinal tDCS (real tDCS) for 5 days/week for two weeks (T1), with a 12-week (T2) follow-up (randomized, double-blind, sham controlled phase). At the 12-week follow-up (T2), all patients (Group 1 and Group 2) received a second treatment of anodal cerebellar tDCS and cathodal spinal tDCS (real tDCS) for 5 days/week for two weeks, with a 14-week (T3), 24-week (T4), 36-week (T5) and 52-week follow-up (T6) (open-label phase). At each time point, a clinical, neuropsychological and neurophysiological evaluation was performed. Cerebellar-motor cortex connectivity was evaluated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We observed a significant improvement in all motor scores (scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia, international cooperative ataxia rating scale), in cognition (evaluated with the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome scale), in quality-of-life scores, in motor cortex excitability and in cerebellar inhibition after real tDCS compared to sham stimulation and compared to baseline (T0), both at short and long-term. We observed an addon-effect after two repeated treatments with real tDCS compared to a single treatment with real tDCS. The improvement at motor and cognitive scores correlated with the restoration of cerebellar inhibition evaluated with TMS. Cerebello-spinal tDCS represents a promising therapeutic approach for both motor and cognitive symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative ataxia, a still orphan disorder of any pharmacological intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Benussi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Valentina Cantoni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marta Manes
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Neurology Unit, Aulss2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Ilenia Libri
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Valentina Dell'Era
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Neurology, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Abhishek Datta
- Research & Development, Soterix Medical, Inc., New York, USA
| | - Chris Thomas
- Research & Development, Soterix Medical, Inc., New York, USA
| | - Camilla Ferrari
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Alessio Di Fonzo
- Dino Ferrari Center, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neurology Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Fancellu
- UO Neurologia, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mario Grassi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, Medical and Genomic Statistics Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alfredo Brusco
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Medical Genetics Unit, Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Antonella Alberici
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Barbara Borroni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
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32
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Louis ED. The Essential Tremors: Evolving Concepts of a Family of Diseases. Front Neurol 2021; 12:650601. [PMID: 33841316 PMCID: PMC8032967 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.650601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The past 10 years has seen a remarkable advance in our understanding of the disease traditionally referred to as “essential tremor” (ET). First, the clinical phenotype of ET has been expanded from that of a bland, unidimensional, and monosymptomatic entity to one with a host of heterogeneous features. These features include a broader and more nuanced collection of tremors, non-tremor motor features (e.g., gait abnormalities) and a range of non-motor features, including cognitive, psychiatric, sleep, and other abnormalities. The natural history of these features, as well as their relationships with one another and with disease duration and severity, are better appreciated than they were previously. Studies of disease etiology have identified a number of candidate genes as well as explored several environmental determinants of disease. In addition, the decade has seen the beginnings and expansion of rigorous postmortem studies that have identified and described the postmortem changes in the brains of patients with ET. This emerging science has given rise to a new notion that the disease, in many cases, is one of cerebellar system degeneration. Across all of these studies (clinical, etiological, and pathophysiological) is the observation that there is heterogeneity across patients and that “essential tremor” is likely not a single disease but, rather, a family of diseases. The time has come to use the more appropriate terminology, “the essential tremors,” to fully describe and encapsulate what is now apparent. In this paper, the author will review the clinical, etiological, and pathophysiological findings, referred to above, and make the argument that the terminology should evolve to reflect advances in science and that “the essential tremors” is a more scientifically appropriate term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elan D Louis
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, United States
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33
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Maas RPPWM, van de Warrenburg BPC, Schutter DJLG. Inverse associations between cerebellar inhibition and motor impairment in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:351-357. [PMID: 33535082 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebellar ataxia generally results from a lesion disrupting the corticopontocerebellar or cerebellothalamocortical tract. The cerebellar inhibition (CBI) paradigm represents a dual-coil transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol that interrogates the integrity of the latter pathway. Whether CBI has clinical relevance in ataxia patients remains largely unknown because associations with pertinent disease severity measures in etiologically homogeneous cohorts have not been previously examined. OBJECTIVE To investigate if CBI correlates with clinical and functional indices of disease severity in individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). METHODS CBI was assessed in fourteen SCA3 patients by paired-pulse cerebellar-motor cortex (M1) stimulation using interstimulus intervals of 3, 5, and 10 ms. Correlation coefficients were determined between CBI and ataxia severity, manual dexterity, and walking speed. RESULTS Suppression of M1 excitability occurred 5 ms following a contralateral cerebellar conditioning stimulus in SCA3 patients, but, on average, CBI was significantly reduced as compared to a healthy control group from the literature (p < 0.001). A significant association was found between decreased CBI levels and higher Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) scores (r = -0.62, p = 0.019). CBI was negatively correlated with axial, appendicular, and speech subscores, as well as with nine-hole peg test performance (r = -0.69, p = 0.006). No association was observed between CBI and walking speed. As expected, there were no significant clinical-neurophysiological correlations at 3 and 10 ms interstimulus intervals. CONCLUSION Our results provide the first neurophysiological evidence for an inverse association between cerebellothalamocortical tract integrity, as reflected by reduced levels of CBI, and ataxia severity in SCA3 patients. Longitudinal studies are required to evaluate if CBI could serve as a marker of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick P P W M Maas
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Bart P C van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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34
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Schreglmann SR, Wang D, Peach RL, Li J, Zhang X, Latorre A, Rhodes E, Panella E, Cassara AM, Boyden ES, Barahona M, Santaniello S, Rothwell J, Bhatia KP, Grossman N. Non-invasive suppression of essential tremor via phase-locked disruption of its temporal coherence. Nat Commun 2021; 12:363. [PMID: 33441542 PMCID: PMC7806740 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20581-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant neural oscillations hallmark numerous brain disorders. Here, we first report a method to track the phase of neural oscillations in real-time via endpoint-corrected Hilbert transform (ecHT) that mitigates the characteristic Gibbs distortion. We then used ecHT to show that the aberrant neural oscillation that hallmarks essential tremor (ET) syndrome, the most common adult movement disorder, can be transiently suppressed via transcranial electrical stimulation of the cerebellum phase-locked to the tremor. The tremor suppression is sustained shortly after the end of the stimulation and can be phenomenologically predicted. Finally, we use feature-based statistical-learning and neurophysiological-modelling to show that the suppression of ET is mechanistically attributed to a disruption of the temporal coherence of the aberrant oscillations in the olivocerebellar loop, thus establishing its causal role. The suppression of aberrant neural oscillation via phase-locked driven disruption of temporal coherence may in the future represent a powerful neuromodulatory strategy to treat brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian R Schreglmann
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, Queen Square, University College London (UCL), London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - David Wang
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- NuVu studio Inc, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Robert L Peach
- Department of Mathematics and EPSRC Centre for Mathematics of Precision Healthcare, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, W12 0HS, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Junheng Li
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, W12 0HS, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Xu Zhang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
- CT Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Anna Latorre
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, Queen Square, University College London (UCL), London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Edward Rhodes
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, W12 0HS, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Emanuele Panella
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Antonino M Cassara
- IT'IS Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society, 8004, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Edward S Boyden
- Department of Media Arts and Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Centre for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Mauricio Barahona
- Department of Mathematics and EPSRC Centre for Mathematics of Precision Healthcare, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Sabato Santaniello
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
- CT Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - John Rothwell
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, Queen Square, University College London (UCL), London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Kailash P Bhatia
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, Queen Square, University College London (UCL), London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Nir Grossman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, W12 0HS, UK.
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- Department of Media Arts and Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Centre for Bio-Inspired Technology, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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35
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Chen TX, Yang CY, Willson G, Lin CC, Kuo SH. The Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cerebellar Ataxia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. THE CEREBELLUM 2020; 20:124-133. [PMID: 32833224 PMCID: PMC7864859 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01181-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background – A promising new approach, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has recently been used as a therapeutic modality for cerebellar ataxia. However, the strength of the conclusions drawn from individual studies in the current literature may be constrained by the small sample size of each trial. Methods – Following a systematic literature retrieval of studies, meta-analyses were conducted by pooling the standardized mean differences (SMDs) using random-effects models to assess the efficacy of tDCS on cerebellar ataxia, measured by standard clinical rating scales. Domain-specific effects of tDCS on gait and hand function were further evaluated based on 8-meter walk and 9-hole peg test performance times, respectively. To determine the safety of tDCS, the incidences of adverse effects were analyzed using risk differences. Results – Out of 293 citations, 5 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 72 participants with cerebellar ataxia were included. Meta-analysis indicated a 26.1% (p = 0.003) improvement in ataxia immediately after tDCS with sustained efficacy over months (28.2% improvement after 3 months, p = 0.04) when compared to sham stimulation. tDCS seems to be domain-specific as the current analysis suggested a positive effect on gait (16.3% improvement, p = 0.04), however failed to reveal differences for hand function (p = 0.10) with respect to sham. The incidence of adverse events in tDCS and sham groups was similar. Conclusion – tDCS is an effective intervention for mitigating ataxia symptoms with lasting results that can be sustained for months. This treatment shows preferential effects on gait ataxia and is relatively safe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany X Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 650 West 168th Street, Room 305, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Chen-Ya Yang
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 650 West 168th Street, Room 305, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Chiayi and Wanqiao Branch, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Gloria Willson
- Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library, Columbia University New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chih-Chun Lin
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 650 West 168th Street, Room 305, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sheng-Han Kuo
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 650 West 168th Street, Room 305, New York, NY, 10032, USA. .,Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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36
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Louis ED, Faust PL. Essential tremor: the most common form of cerebellar degeneration? CEREBELLUM & ATAXIAS 2020; 7:12. [PMID: 32922824 PMCID: PMC7427947 DOI: 10.1186/s40673-020-00121-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background The degenerative cerebellar ataxias comprise a large and heterogeneous group of neurological diseases whose hallmark clinical feature is ataxia, and which are accompanied, to variable degrees, by other features that are attributable to cerebellar dysfunction. Essential tremor (ET) is an exceptionally common neurological disease whose primary motor feature is action tremor, although patients often manifest intention tremor, mild gait ataxia and several other features of cerebellar dysfunction. Main Body In this paper, we review the abundant evidence derived from clinical, neuroimaging and postmortem studies, linking ET to cerebellar dysfunction. Furthermore, we review the combination of clinical, natural history and postmortem features suggesting that ET is neurodegenerative. We then compare the prevalence of ET (400 – 900 cases per 100,000) to that of the other cerebellar degenerations (ranging from <0.5 – 9 cases per 100,000, and in composite likely to be on the order of 20 cases per 100,000) and conclude that ET is 20 to 45 times more prevalent than all other forms of cerebellar degeneration combined. Conclusion Given the data we present, it is logical to conclude that ET is, by far, the most common form of cerebellar degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elan D Louis
- Department of Neurology and Therapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Phyllis L Faust
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY USA
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37
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Cao X, Wang X, Xue C, Zhang S, Huang Q, Liu W. A Radiomics Approach to Predicting Parkinson's Disease by Incorporating Whole-Brain Functional Activity and Gray Matter Structure. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:751. [PMID: 32760248 PMCID: PMC7373781 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, chronic, and neurodegenerative disorder that is primarily diagnosed by clinical examinations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, we proposed a machine learning based radiomics method to predict PD. Fifty healthy controls (HC) along with 70 PD patients underwent resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). For all subjects, we extracted five types of 6664 features, including mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (mALFF), mean regional homogeneity (mReHo), resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) and gray matter (GM) volume. After conducting dimension reduction utilizing Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), fifty-three radiomic features including 46 RSFCs, 1 mALFF, 3 mReHos, 1 VMHC, 2 GM volumes and 1 clinical factor were retained. The selected features also indicated the most discriminative regions for PD. We further conducted model fitting procedure for classifying subjects in the training set employing random forest and support volume machine (SVM) to evaluate the performance of the two methods. After cross-validation, both methods achieved 100% accuracy and area under curve (AUC) for distinguishing between PD and HC in the training set. In the testing set, SVM performed better than random forest with the accuracy, true positive rate (TPR) and AUC being 85%, 1 and 0.97, respectively. These findings demonstrate the radiomics technique has the potential to support radiological diagnosis and to achieve high classification accuracy for clinical diagnostic systems for patients with PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Cao
- Division of Statistics and Data Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chen Xue
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shaojun Zhang
- Department of Statistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Qingling Huang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiguo Liu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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38
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Ganguly J, Murgai A, Sharma S, Aur D, Jog M. Non-invasive Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Movement Disorders. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:522. [PMID: 32581682 PMCID: PMC7290124 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction within large-scale brain networks as the basis for movement disorders is an accepted hypothesis. The treatment options for restoring network function are limited. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are now being studied to modify the network. Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is also a portable, cost-effective, and non-invasive way of network modulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial alternating current stimulation have been studied in Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, tremor, and ataxia. Transcranial pulsed current stimulation and transcranial random noise stimulation are not yet studied enough. The literature in the use of these techniques is intriguing, yet many unanswered questions remain. In this review, we highlight the studies using these four potential tES techniques and their electrophysiological basis and consider the therapeutic implication in the field of movement disorders. The objectives are to consolidate the current literature, demonstrate that these methods are feasible, and encourage the application of such techniques in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacky Ganguly
- Movement Disorder Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Aditya Murgai
- Movement Disorder Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Soumya Sharma
- Movement Disorder Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Dorian Aur
- Movement Disorder Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Mandar Jog
- Movement Disorder Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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39
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Benussi A, Pascual-Leone A, Borroni B. Non-Invasive Cerebellar Stimulation in Neurodegenerative Ataxia: A Literature Review. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21061948. [PMID: 32178459 PMCID: PMC7139863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21061948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxias are a heterogenous group of degenerative disorders for which we currently lack effective and disease-modifying interventions. The field of non-invasive brain stimulation has made much progress in the development of specific stimulation protocols to modulate cerebellar excitability and try to restore the physiological activity of the cerebellum in patients with ataxia. In light of limited evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options for patients with ataxia, several different non-invasive brain stimulation protocols have emerged, particularly employing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) techniques. In this review, we summarize the most relevant rTMS and tDCS therapeutic trials and discuss their implications in the care of patients with degenerative ataxias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Benussi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Arthur and Hinda Marcus Institute for Aging Brain, Hebrew SeniorLife and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02131, USA;
- Guttmann Brain Health Institute, Institute Guttmann, Universitat Autonoma, 08027 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Barbara Borroni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-030-3995632
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