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Weitzel L, Bavishi S. Disorders of Consciousness. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2024; 35:493-506. [PMID: 38945646 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2024.02.003] [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] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
This article reviews the definition, assessment, neuroimaging, treatment, and rehabilitation for disorders of consciousness after an acquired brain injury. It also explores special considerations and new neuromodulation treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levi Weitzel
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University College of Medicine, 370 W 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Sheital Bavishi
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Brain Injury Program, Dodd Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 480 Medical Center Drive, Room 1036, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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2
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Barra ME, Solt K, Yu X, Edlow BL. Restoring consciousness with pharmacologic therapy: Mechanisms, targets, and future directions. Neurotherapeutics 2024:e00374. [PMID: 39019729 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00374] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe brain injury impairs consciousness by disrupting a broad spectrum of neurotransmitter systems. Emerging evidence suggests that pharmacologic modulation of specific neurotransmitter systems, such as dopamine, promotes recovery of consciousness. Clinical guidelines now endorse the use of amantadine in individuals with traumatic disorders of consciousness (DoC) based on level 1 evidence, and multiple neurostimulants are used off-label in clinical practice, including methylphenidate, modafinil, bromocriptine, levodopa, and zolpidem. However, the relative contributions of monoaminergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, GABAergic, and orexinergic neurotransmitter systems to recovery of consciousness after severe brain injury are unknown, and personalized approaches to targeted therapy have yet to be developed. This review summarizes the state-of-the-science in the neurochemistry and neurobiology of neurotransmitter systems involved in conscious behaviors, followed by a discussion of how pharmacologic therapies may be used to modulate these neurotransmitter systems and promote recovery of consciousness. We consider pharmacologic modulation of consciousness at the synapse, circuit, and network levels, with a focus on the mesocircuit model that has been proposed to explain the consciousness-promoting effects of various monoaminergic, glutamatergic, and paradoxically, GABAergic therapies. Though fundamental questions remain about neurotransmitter mechanisms, target engagement and optimal therapy selection for individual patients, we propose that pharmacologic therapies hold great promise to promote recovery and improve quality of life for patients with severe brain injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Barra
- Department of Pharmacy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ken Solt
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xin Yu
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian L Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Thum JA, Malekmohammadi M, Toker D, Sparks H, Alijanpourotaghsara A, Choi JW, Hudson AE, Monti MM, Pouratian N. Globus pallidus externus drives increase in network-wide alpha power with propofol-induced loss-of-consciousness in humans. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae243. [PMID: 38850214 PMCID: PMC11161864 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae243] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
States of consciousness are likely mediated by multiple parallel yet interacting cortico-subcortical recurrent networks. Although the mesocircuit model has implicated the pallidocortical circuit as one such network, this circuit has not been extensively evaluated to identify network-level electrophysiological changes related to loss of consciousness (LOC). We characterize changes in the mesocircuit in awake versus propofol-induced LOC in humans by directly simultaneously recording from sensorimotor cortices (S1/M1) and globus pallidus interna and externa (GPi/GPe) in 12 patients with Parkinson disease undergoing deep brain stimulator implantation. Propofol-induced LOC is associated with increases in local power up to 20 Hz in GPi, 35 Hz in GPe, and 100 Hz in S1/M1. LOC is likewise marked by increased pallidocortical alpha synchrony across all nodes, with increased alpha/low beta Granger causal (GC) flow from GPe to all other nodes. In contrast, LOC is associated with decreased network-wide beta coupling and beta GC from M1 to the rest of the network. Results implicate an important and possibly central role of GPe in mediating LOC-related increases in alpha power, supporting a significant role of the GPe in modulating cortico-subcortical circuits for consciousness. Simultaneous LOC-related suppression of beta synchrony highlights that distinct oscillatory frequencies act independently, conveying unique network activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine A Thum
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza, Suite 540, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Mahsa Malekmohammadi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza, Suite 540, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Daniel Toker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 6522 Pritzker Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Hiro Sparks
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza, Suite 540, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Amirreza Alijanpourotaghsara
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd MC8855, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Jeong Woo Choi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd MC8855, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Andrew E Hudson
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 747 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Martin M Monti
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza, Suite 540, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 6522 Pritzker Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Nader Pouratian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd MC8855, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
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Marino MH. Pharmacology in Treatment of Patients with Disorders of Consciousness. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2024; 35:155-165. [PMID: 37993186 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2023.06.023] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacologic treatment of disorders of consciousness remains a critical but challenging task for clinicians. Amantadine has been shown to promote the rate of neurologic recovery for patients with traumatic disorders of consciousness when administered between 4 and 16 weeks, as demonstrated by a well-designed randomized control trial. While there are no large, randomized controlled trials to support the use of other dopaminergic medicines (bromocriptine, levodopa, apomorphine), there is a large body of literature implicating their role in improving alertness and responsiveness in disorders of consciousness. Zolpidem can increase the level of consciousness in a small subset of patients. Zolpidem and intrathecal baclofen likely increase the level of consciousness via the mesocircuit pathway. Psychostimulant medications can be initiated in patients, even without strong evidence to support their use, as long as basic principles of brain injury medicine are followed, and there are systems in place to evaluate therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael H Marino
- Moss Rehab, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, USA; Remed Residential Brain Injury Center.
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Othman MH, Møller K, Kjaergaard J, Kondziella D. Detecting signatures of consciousness in acute brain injury after stimulation with apomorphine and methylphenidate: protocol for a placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over study. BMJ Neurol Open 2024; 6:e000584. [PMID: 38268756 PMCID: PMC10806905 DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2023-000584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Acute brain injury can lead to states of decreased consciousness, that is, disorder of consciousness (DoC). Detecting signs of consciousness early is vital for DoC management in the intensive care unit (ICU), neurorehabilitation and long-term prognosis. Our primary objective is to investigate the potential of pharmacological stimulant therapies in eliciting signs of consciousness among unresponsive or low-responsive acute DoC patients. Methods In a placebo-controlled, randomised, cross-over setting, we evaluate the effect of methylphenidate and apomorphine in 50 DoC patients with acute traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury admitted to the ICU. Patients are examined before and after administration of the trial drugs using (1) neurobehavioural scales to determine the clinical level of consciousness, (2) automated pupillometry to record pupillary responses as a signature for awareness and (3) near-infrared spectroscopy combined with electroencephalography to record neurovascular coupling as a measure for cortical activity. Primary outcomes include pupillary dilations and increase in cortical activity during passive and active paradigms. Ethics The study has been approved by the ethics committee (Journal-nr: H-21022096) and follows the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. It is deemed to pose minimal risks and to hold a significant potential to improve treatment options for DoC patients. If the stimulants are shown to enhance cortical modulation of pupillary function and neurovascular coupling, this would warrant a large multicentre trial to evaluate their clinical impact. Dissemination Results will be available on EudraCT, clinicaltrialsregister.eu and published in an international peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number EudraCT Number: 2021-001453-31.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwan H Othman
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kirsten Møller
- Department of Neuroanesthesiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper Kjaergaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Kondziella
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Thibaut A, Fregni F, Estraneo A, Fiorenza S, Noe E, Llorens R, Ferri J, Formisano R, Morone G, Bender A, Rosenfelder M, Lamberti G, Kodratyeva E, Kondratyev S, Legostaeva L, Suponeva N, Krewer C, Müller F, Dardenne N, Jedidi H, Laureys S, Gosseries O, Lejeune N, Martens G. Sham-controlled randomized multicentre trial of transcranial direct current stimulation for prolonged disorders of consciousness. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:3016-3031. [PMID: 37515394 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to improve signs of consciousness in a subset of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). However, no multicentre study confirmed its efficacy when applied during rehabilitation. In this randomized controlled double-blind study, the effects of tDCS whilst patients were in rehabilitation were tested at the group level and according to their diagnosis and aetiology to better target DoC patients who might repond to tDCS. METHODS Patients received 2 mA tDCS or sham applied over the left prefrontal cortex for 4 weeks. Behavioural assessments were performed weekly and up to 3 months' follow-up. Analyses were conducted at the group and subgroup levels based on the diagnosis (minimally conscious state [MCS] and unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) and the aetiology (traumatic or non-traumatic). Interim analyses were planned to continue or stop the trial. RESULTS The trial was stopped for futility when 62 patients from 10 centres were enrolled (44 ± 14 years, 37 ± 24.5 weeks post-injury, 18 women, 32 MCS, 39 non-traumatic). Whilst, at the group level, no treatment effect was found, the subgroup analyses at 3 months' follow-up revealed a significant improvement for patients in MCS and with traumatic aetiology. CONCLUSIONS Transcranial direct current stimulation during rehabilitation does not seem to enhance patients' recovery. However, diagnosis and aetiology appear to be important factors leading to a response to the treatment. These findings bring novel insights into possible cortical plasticity changes in DoC patients given these differential results according to the subgroups of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Thibaut
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, Centre du Cerveau2, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Felipe Fregni
- Neuromodulation Lab, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anna Estraneo
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Florence, Italy
| | - Salvatore Fiorenza
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Florence, Italy
| | - Enrique Noe
- IRENEA Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, Valéncia, Spain
| | - Roberto Llorens
- IRENEA Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, Valéncia, Spain
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Joan Ferri
- IRENEA Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, Valéncia, Spain
| | - Rita Formisano
- Santa Lucia Foundation, Neurorehabilitation and Scientific Institute for Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Morone
- Santa Lucia Foundation, Neurorehabilitation and Scientific Institute for Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Andreas Bender
- Therapiezentrum Burgau, Burgau, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Rosenfelder
- Therapiezentrum Burgau, Burgau, Germany
- Clinical and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gianfranco Lamberti
- Neurorehabilitation Department AUSL Piacenza - University of Parma, Piacenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Carmen Krewer
- Department for Neurology, Research Group, Schoen Clinic Bad Aibling, Bad Aibling, Germany
- Chair of Human Movement Science, Department of Sports and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Friedemann Müller
- Department for Neurology, Research Group, Schoen Clinic Bad Aibling, Bad Aibling, Germany
| | - Nadia Dardenne
- University and Hospital Biostatistics Center (B-STAT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, Centre du Cerveau2, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Joint International Research Unit on Consciousness, CERVO Brain Research Centre, CIUSS, University Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, Centre du Cerveau2, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Lejeune
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, Centre du Cerveau2, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Centre Hospitalier Neurologique William Lennox, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Géraldine Martens
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, Centre du Cerveau2, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Carlson JM, Lin DJ. Prognostication in Prolonged and Chronic Disorders of Consciousness. Semin Neurol 2023; 43:744-757. [PMID: 37758177 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DOCs) longer than 28 days may continue to make significant gains and achieve functional recovery. Occasionally, this recovery trajectory may extend past 3 (for nontraumatic etiologies) and 12 months (for traumatic etiologies) into the chronic period. Prognosis is influenced by several factors including state of DOC, etiology, and demographics. There are several testing modalities that may aid prognostication under active investigation including electroencephalography, functional and anatomic magnetic resonance imaging, and event-related potentials. At this time, only one treatment (amantadine) has been routinely recommended to improve functional recovery in prolonged DOC. Given that some patients with prolonged or chronic DOC have the potential to recover both consciousness and functional status, it is important for neurologists experienced in prognostication to remain involved in their care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Carlson
- Division of Neurocritical Care, Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina Hospital, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - David J Lin
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Division of Neurocritical Care and Stroke Service, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Providence, Rhode Island
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8
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Edlow BL, Olchanyi M, Freeman HJ, Li J, Maffei C, Snider SB, Zöllei L, Iglesias JE, Augustinack J, Bodien YG, Haynes RL, Greve DN, Diamond BR, Stevens A, Giacino JT, Destrieux C, van der Kouwe A, Brown EN, Folkerth RD, Fischl B, Kinney HC. Sustaining wakefulness: Brainstem connectivity in human consciousness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.13.548265. [PMID: 37502983 PMCID: PMC10369992 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.13.548265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Consciousness is comprised of arousal (i.e., wakefulness) and awareness. Substantial progress has been made in mapping the cortical networks that modulate awareness in the human brain, but knowledge about the subcortical networks that sustain arousal is lacking. We integrated data from ex vivo diffusion MRI, immunohistochemistry, and in vivo 7 Tesla functional MRI to map the connectivity of a subcortical arousal network that we postulate sustains wakefulness in the resting, conscious human brain, analogous to the cortical default mode network (DMN) that is believed to sustain self-awareness. We identified nodes of the proposed default ascending arousal network (dAAN) in the brainstem, hypothalamus, thalamus, and basal forebrain by correlating ex vivo diffusion MRI with immunohistochemistry in three human brain specimens from neurologically normal individuals scanned at 600-750 μm resolution. We performed deterministic and probabilistic tractography analyses of the diffusion MRI data to map dAAN intra-network connections and dAAN-DMN internetwork connections. Using a newly developed network-based autopsy of the human brain that integrates ex vivo MRI and histopathology, we identified projection, association, and commissural pathways linking dAAN nodes with one another and with cortical DMN nodes, providing a structural architecture for the integration of arousal and awareness in human consciousness. We release the ex vivo diffusion MRI data, corresponding immunohistochemistry data, network-based autopsy methods, and a new brainstem dAAN atlas to support efforts to map the connectivity of human consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian L. Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Mark Olchanyi
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Holly J. Freeman
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Jian Li
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Chiara Maffei
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Samuel B. Snider
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - J. Eugenio Iglesias
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Jean Augustinack
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Yelena G. Bodien
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129 USA
| | - Robin L. Haynes
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Douglas N. Greve
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Bram R. Diamond
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Allison Stevens
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Joseph T. Giacino
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129 USA
| | - Christophe Destrieux
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37032, Tours, France
- CHRU de Tours, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, Tours, France
| | - Andre van der Kouwe
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
| | - Emery N. Brown
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Bruce Fischl
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129, USA
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hannah C. Kinney
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Zheng RZ, Qi ZX, Wang Z, Xu ZY, Wu XH, Mao Y. Clinical Decision on Disorders of Consciousness After Acquired Brain Injury: Stepping Forward. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:138-162. [PMID: 35804219 PMCID: PMC9849546 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00909-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Major advances have been made over the past few decades in identifying and managing disorders of consciousness (DOC) in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI), bringing the transformation from a conceptualized definition to a complex clinical scenario worthy of scientific exploration. Given the continuously-evolving framework of precision medicine that integrates valuable behavioral assessment tools, sophisticated neuroimaging, and electrophysiological techniques, a considerably higher diagnostic accuracy rate of DOC may now be reached. During the treatment of patients with DOC, a variety of intervention methods are available, including amantadine and transcranial direct current stimulation, which have both provided class II evidence, zolpidem, which is also of high quality, and non-invasive stimulation, which appears to be more encouraging than pharmacological therapy. However, heterogeneity is profoundly ingrained in study designs, and only rare schemes have been recommended by authoritative institutions. There is still a lack of an effective clinical protocol for managing patients with DOC following ABI. To advance future clinical studies on DOC, we present a comprehensive review of the progress in clinical identification and management as well as some challenges in the pathophysiology of DOC. We propose a preliminary clinical decision protocol, which could serve as an ideal reference tool for many medical institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Zhe Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, 200040, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zeng-Xin Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, 200040, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, 200040, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ze-Yu Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, 200040, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xue-Hai Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Ying Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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10
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Understanding, detecting, and stimulating consciousness recovery in the ICU. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2022; 165:809-828. [PMID: 36242637 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-022-05378-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Coma is a medical and socioeconomic emergency. Although underfunded, research on coma and disorders of consciousness has made impressive progress. Lesion-network-mapping studies have delineated the precise brainstem regions that consistently produce coma when damaged. Functional neuroimaging has revealed how mechanisms like "communication through coherence" and "inhibition by gating" work in synergy to enable cortico-cortical processing and how this information transfer is disrupted in brain injury. On the cellular level, break-down of intracellular communication between the layer 5 pyramidal cell soma and the apical dendritic part impairs dendritic information integration, with up-stream effects on microcircuits in local neuronal populations and on large-scale fronto-parietal networks, which correlates with loss of consciousness. A breakthrough in clinical concepts occurred when fMRI, and later EEG, studies revealed that 15% of clinically unresponsive patients in acute and chronic settings are in fact awake and aware, as shown by their command following abilities revealed by brain activation during motor and locomotion imagery tasks. This condition is now termed "cognitive motor dissociation." Furthermore, epidemiological data on coma were literally non-existent until recently because of difficulties related to case ascertainment with traditional methods, but crowdsourcing of family observations enabled the first estimates of how frequent coma is in the general population (pooled annual incidence of 201 coma cases per 100,000 population in the UK and the USA). Diagnostic guidelines on coma and disorders of consciousness by the American Academy of Neurology and the European Academy of Neurology provide ambitious clinical frameworks to accommodate these achievements. As for therapy, a broad range of medical and non-medical treatment options is now being tested in increasingly larger trials; in particular, amantadine and transcranial direct current stimulation appear promising in this regard. Major international initiatives like the Curing Coma Campaign aim to raise awareness for coma and disorders of consciousness in the public, with the ultimate goal to make more brain-injured patients recover consciousness after a coma. To highlight all these accomplishments, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress and future challenges related to understanding, detecting, and stimulating consciousness recovery in the ICU.
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11
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Barra ME, Edlow BL, Brophy GM. Pharmacologic Therapies to Promote Recovery of Consciousness. Semin Neurol 2022; 42:335-347. [PMID: 36100228 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1755271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacologic interventions are commonly used to support rehabilitation efforts of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). The 2018 practice guidelines recommend amantadine in adults with traumatic DoC to promote functional recovery, though several other stimulants are used off-label in clinical practice and trials, such as methylphenidate, bromocriptine, levodopa, and zolpidem. Differences in the mechanisms of action, adverse effects, pharmacokinetics, and drug-drug interactions should be considered when selecting the best agent for each individual patient. Overall, pharmacologic stimulants may provide a safe and inexpensive pathway to increased functionality and participation in rehabilitation. This article provides a concise summary of scientific evidence supporting the use of pharmacologic therapies to stimulate recovery of consciousness in patients with DoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Barra
- Department of Pharmacy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brian L Edlow
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Gretchen M Brophy
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science and Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
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12
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Electrophysiological evidence of sustained attention to music among conscious participants and unresponsive hospice patients at the end of life. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 139:9-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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13
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Irzan H, Pozzi M, Chikhladze N, Cebanu S, Tadevosyan A, Calcii C, Tsiskaridze A, Melbourne A, Strazzer S, Modat M, Molteni E. Emerging Treatments for Disorders of Consciousness in Paediatric Age. Brain Sci 2022; 12:198. [PMID: 35203961 PMCID: PMC8870410 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of paediatric patients living with a prolonged Disorder of Consciousness (DoC) is growing in high-income countries, thanks to substantial improvement in intensive care. Life expectancy is extending due to the clinical and nursing management achievements of chronic phase needs, including infections. However, long-known pharmacological therapies such as amantadine and zolpidem, as well as novel instrumental approaches using direct current stimulation and, more recently, stem cell transplantation, are applied in the absence of large paediatric clinical trials and rigorous age-balanced and dose-escalated validations. With evidence building up mainly through case reports and observational studies, there is a need for well-designed paediatric clinical trials and specific research on 0-4-year-old children. At such an early age, assessing residual and recovered abilities is most challenging due to the early developmental stage, incompletely learnt motor and cognitive skills, and unreliable communication; treatment options are also less explored in early age. In middle-income countries, the lack of rehabilitation services and professionals focusing on paediatric age hampers the overall good assistance provision. Young and fast-evolving health insurance systems prevent universal access to chronic care in some countries. In low-income countries, rescue networks are often inadequate, and there is a lack of specialised and intensive care, difficulty in providing specific pharmaceuticals, and lower compliance to intensive care hygiene standards. Despite this, paediatric cases with DoC are reported, albeit in fewer numbers than in countries with better-resourced healthcare systems. For patients with a poor prospect of recovery, withdrawal of care is inhomogeneous across countries and still heavily conditioned by treatment costs as well as ethical and cultural factors, rather than reliant on protocols for assessment and standardised treatments. In summary, there is a strong call for multicentric, international, and global health initiatives on DoC to devote resources to the paediatric age, as there is now scope for funders to invest in themes specific to DoC affecting the early years of the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassna Irzan
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK; (H.I.); (A.M.); (M.M.)
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Marco Pozzi
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Acquired Brain Injury Unit, 22040 Bosisio Parini, Italy; (M.P.); (S.S.)
| | - Nino Chikhladze
- Faculty of Medicine, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia; (N.C.); (A.T.)
| | - Serghei Cebanu
- Faculty of Medicine, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, MD-2004 Chišināu, Moldova; (S.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Artashes Tadevosyan
- Department of Public Health and Healthcare Organization, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan 0025, Armenia;
| | - Cornelia Calcii
- Faculty of Medicine, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, MD-2004 Chišināu, Moldova; (S.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Alexander Tsiskaridze
- Faculty of Medicine, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia; (N.C.); (A.T.)
| | - Andrew Melbourne
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK; (H.I.); (A.M.); (M.M.)
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Sandra Strazzer
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Acquired Brain Injury Unit, 22040 Bosisio Parini, Italy; (M.P.); (S.S.)
- Rehabilitation Service, “Usratuna” Health and Rehabilitation Centre, Juba, South Sudan
| | - Marc Modat
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK; (H.I.); (A.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Erika Molteni
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK; (H.I.); (A.M.); (M.M.)
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14
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Fridman EA, Schiff ND. Organizing a Rational Approach to Treatments of Disorders of Consciousness Using the Anterior Forebrain Mesocircuit Model. J Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 39:40-48. [PMID: 34474427 PMCID: PMC8900660 DOI: 10.1097/wnp.0000000000000729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Organizing a rational treatment strategy for patients with multifocal structural brain injuries and disorders of consciousness (DOC) is an important and challenging clinical goal. Among potential clinical end points, restoring elements of communication to DOC patients can support improved patient care, caregiver satisfaction, and patients' quality of life. Over the past decade, several studies have considered the use of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit model to approach this problem because this model proposes a supervening circuit-level impairment arising across DOC of varying etiologies. We review both the conceptual foundation of the mesocircuit model and studies of mechanisms underlying DOC that test predictions of this model. We consider how this model can guide therapeutic interventions and discuss a proposed treatment algorithm based on these ideas. Although the approach reviewed originates in the evaluation of patients with chronic DOC, we consider some emerging implications for patients in acute and subacute settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban A Fridman
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, U.S.A
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15
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Li J, Curley WH, Guerin B, Dougherty DD, Dalca AV, Fischl B, Horn A, Edlow BL. Mapping the subcortical connectivity of the human default mode network. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118758. [PMID: 34838949 PMCID: PMC8945548 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) mediates self-awareness and introspection, core components of human consciousness. Therapies to restore consciousness in patients with severe brain injuries have historically targeted subcortical sites in the brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and basal ganglia, with the goal of reactivating cortical DMN nodes. However, the subcortical connectivity of the DMN has not been fully mapped, and optimal subcortical targets for therapeutic neuromodulation of consciousness have not been identified. In this work, we created a comprehensive map of DMN subcortical connectivity by combining high-resolution functional and structural datasets with advanced signal processing methods. We analyzed 7 Tesla resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data from 168 healthy volunteers acquired in the Human Connectome Project. The rs-fMRI blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) data were temporally synchronized across subjects using the BrainSync algorithm. Cortical and subcortical DMN nodes were jointly analyzed and identified at the group level by applying a novel Nadam-Accelerated SCAlable and Robust (NASCAR) tensor decomposition method to the synchronized dataset. The subcortical connectivity map was then overlaid on a 7 Tesla 100 µm ex vivo MRI dataset for neuroanatomic analysis using automated segmentation of nuclei within the brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and basal ganglia. We further compared the NASCAR subcortical connectivity map with its counterpart generated from canonical seed-based correlation analyses. The NASCAR method revealed that BOLD signal in the central lateral nucleus of the thalamus and ventral tegmental area of the midbrain is strongly correlated with that of the DMN. In an exploratory analysis, additional subcortical sites in the median and dorsal raphe, lateral hypothalamus, and caudate nuclei were correlated with the cortical DMN. We also found that the putamen and globus pallidus are negatively correlated (i.e., anti-correlated) with the DMN, providing rs-fMRI evidence for the mesocircuit hypothesis of human consciousness, whereby a striatopallidal feedback system modulates anterior forebrain function via disinhibition of the central thalamus. Seed-based analyses yielded similar subcortical DMN connectivity, but the NASCAR result showed stronger contrast and better spatial alignment with dopamine immunostaining data. The DMN subcortical connectivity map identified here advances understanding of the subcortical regions that contribute to human consciousness and can be used to inform the selection of therapeutic targets in clinical trials for patients with disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - William H Curley
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bastien Guerin
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Darin D Dougherty
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adrian V Dalca
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bruce Fischl
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andreas Horn
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Movement Disorders & Neuromodulation Section, Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Brian L Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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16
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Treating Traumatic Brain Injuries with Electroceuticals: Implications for the Neuroanatomy of Consciousness. NEUROSCI 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/neurosci2030018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of loss of consciousness, long-term disability, and death in children and young adults (age 1 to 44). Currently, there are no United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pharmacological treatments for post-TBI regeneration and recovery, particularly related to permanent disability and level of consciousness. In some cases, long-term disorders of consciousness (DoC) exist, including the vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) characterized by the exhibition of reflexive behaviors only or a minimally conscious state (MCS) with few purposeful movements and reflexive behaviors. Electroceuticals, including non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS) have proved efficacious in some patients with TBI and DoC. In this review, we examine how electroceuticals have improved our understanding of the neuroanatomy of consciousness. However, the level of improvements in general arousal or basic bodily and visual pursuit that constitute clinically meaningful recovery on the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) remain undefined. Nevertheless, these advancements demonstrate the importance of the vagal nerve, thalamus, reticular activating system, and cortico-striatal-thalamic-cortical loop in the process of consciousness recovery.
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17
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Dopaminergic brainstem disconnection is common to pharmacological and pathological consciousness perturbation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2026289118. [PMID: 34301891 PMCID: PMC8325270 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2026289118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the neural bases of consciousness is of basic scientific and clinical importance. Human neuroimaging has established that a network of interconnected brain regions known as the default mode network disintegrates in anesthesia and after brain damage that causes disorders of consciousness. However, the neurochemical underpinnings of this network change remain largely unknown. Motivated by preclinical animal work and clinical observations, we found that across pharmacological (sedation) and pathological (disorders of consciousness) consciousness perturbation, the dopaminergic source nucleus, the ventral tegmental area, disconnects from the main nodes of the default mode network. As the severity of this dopaminergic disconnection was associated with default mode network disintegration, we propose that dopaminergic modulation may be a central mechanism for consciousness maintenance. Clinical research into consciousness has long focused on cortical macroscopic networks and their disruption in pathological or pharmacological consciousness perturbation. Despite demonstrating diagnostic utility in disorders of consciousness (DoC) and monitoring anesthetic depth, these cortico-centric approaches have been unable to characterize which neurochemical systems may underpin consciousness alterations. Instead, preclinical experiments have long implicated the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the brainstem. Despite dopaminergic agonist efficacy in DoC patients equally pointing to dopamine, the VTA has not been studied in human perturbed consciousness. To bridge this translational gap between preclinical subcortical and clinical cortico-centric perspectives, we assessed functional connectivity changes of a histologically characterized VTA using functional MRI recordings of pharmacologically (propofol sedation) and pathologically perturbed consciousness (DoC patients). Both cohorts demonstrated VTA disconnection from the precuneus and posterior cingulate (PCu/PCC), a main default mode network node widely implicated in consciousness. Strikingly, the stronger VTA–PCu/PCC connectivity was, the more the PCu/PCC functional connectome resembled its awake configuration, suggesting a possible neuromodulatory relationship. VTA-PCu/PCC connectivity increased toward healthy control levels only in DoC patients who behaviorally improved at follow-up assessment. To test whether VTA–PCu/PCC connectivity can be affected by a dopaminergic agonist, we demonstrated in a separate set of traumatic brain injury patients without DoC that methylphenidate significantly increased this connectivity. Together, our results characterize an in vivo dopaminergic connectivity deficit common to reversible and chronic consciousness perturbation. This noninvasive assessment of the dopaminergic system bridges preclinical and clinical work, associating dopaminergic VTA function with macroscopic network alterations, thereby elucidating a critical aspect of brainstem–cortical interplay for consciousness.
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18
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Therapies to Restore Consciousness in Patients with Severe Brain Injuries: A Gap Analysis and Future Directions. Neurocrit Care 2021; 35:68-85. [PMID: 34236624 PMCID: PMC8266715 DOI: 10.1007/s12028-021-01227-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background/Objective For patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) and their families, the search for new therapies has been a source of hope and frustration. Almost all clinical trials in patients with DoC have been limited by small sample sizes, lack of placebo groups, and use of heterogeneous outcome measures. As a result, few therapies have strong evidence to support their use; amantadine is the only therapy recommended by current clinical guidelines, specifically for patients with DoC caused by severe traumatic brain injury. To foster and advance development of consciousness-promoting therapies for patients with DoC, the Curing Coma Campaign convened a Coma Science Work Group to perform a gap analysis. Methods We consider five classes of therapies: (1) pharmacologic; (2) electromagnetic; (3) mechanical; (4) sensory; and (5) regenerative. For each class of therapy, we summarize the state of the science, identify gaps in knowledge, and suggest future directions for therapy development. Results Knowledge gaps in all five therapeutic classes can be attributed to the lack of: (1) a unifying conceptual framework for evaluating therapeutic mechanisms of action; (2) large-scale randomized controlled trials; and (3) pharmacodynamic biomarkers that measure subclinical therapeutic effects in early-phase trials. To address these gaps, we propose a precision medicine approach in which clinical trials selectively enroll patients based upon their physiological receptivity to targeted therapies, and therapeutic effects are measured by complementary behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiologic endpoints. Conclusions This personalized approach can be realized through rigorous clinical trial design and international collaboration, both of which will be essential for advancing the development of new therapies and ultimately improving the lives of patients with DoC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12028-021-01227-y.
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19
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Verduzco-Mendoza A, Carrillo-Mora P, Avila-Luna A, Gálvez-Rosas A, Olmos-Hernández A, Mota-Rojas D, Bueno-Nava A. Role of the Dopaminergic System in the Striatum and Its Association With Functional Recovery or Rehabilitation After Brain Injury. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:693404. [PMID: 34248494 PMCID: PMC8264205 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.693404] [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: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Disabilities are estimated to occur in approximately 2% of survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) worldwide, and disability may persist even decades after brain injury. Facilitation or modulation of functional recovery is an important goal of rehabilitation in all patients who survive severe TBI. However, this recovery tends to vary among patients because it is affected by the biological and physical characteristics of the patients; the types, doses, and application regimens of the drugs used; and clinical indications. In clinical practice, diverse dopaminergic drugs with various dosing and application procedures are used for TBI. Previous studies have shown that dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is disrupted following moderate to severe TBI and have reported beneficial effects of drugs that affect the dopaminergic system. However, the mechanisms of action of dopaminergic drugs have not been completely clarified, partly because dopaminergic receptor activation can lead to restoration of the pathway of the corticobasal ganglia after injury in brain structures with high densities of these receptors. This review aims to provide an overview of the functionality of the dopaminergic system in the striatum and its roles in functional recovery or rehabilitation after TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Verduzco-Mendoza
- Ph.D. Program in Biological and Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
- Division of Biotechnology-Bioterio and Experimental Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul Carrillo-Mora
- Division of Neurosciences, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alberto Avila-Luna
- Division of Neurosciences, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Arturo Gálvez-Rosas
- Division of Neurosciences, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adriana Olmos-Hernández
- Division of Biotechnology-Bioterio and Experimental Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Antonio Bueno-Nava
- Division of Neurosciences, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
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20
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Edlow BL, Claassen J, Schiff ND, Greer DM. Recovery from disorders of consciousness: mechanisms, prognosis and emerging therapies. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:135-156. [PMID: 33318675 PMCID: PMC7734616 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-00428-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 90.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Substantial progress has been made over the past two decades in detecting, predicting and promoting recovery of consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) caused by severe brain injuries. Advanced neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques have revealed new insights into the biological mechanisms underlying recovery of consciousness and have enabled the identification of preserved brain networks in patients who seem unresponsive, thus raising hope for more accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Emerging evidence suggests that covert consciousness, or cognitive motor dissociation (CMD), is present in up to 15-20% of patients with DoC and that detection of CMD in the intensive care unit can predict functional recovery at 1 year post injury. Although fundamental questions remain about which patients with DoC have the potential for recovery, novel pharmacological and electrophysiological therapies have shown the potential to reactivate injured neural networks and promote re-emergence of consciousness. In this Review, we focus on mechanisms of recovery from DoC in the acute and subacute-to-chronic stages, and we discuss recent progress in detecting and predicting recovery of consciousness. We also describe the developments in pharmacological and electrophysiological therapies that are creating new opportunities to improve the lives of patients with DoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian L Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jan Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas D Schiff
- Feil Family Brain Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - David M Greer
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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21
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Provencio JJ, Hemphill JC, Claassen J, Edlow BL, Helbok R, Vespa PM, Diringer MN, Polizzotto L, Shutter L, Suarez JI, Stevens RD, Hanley DF, Akbari Y, Bleck TP, Boly M, Foreman B, Giacino JT, Hartings JA, Human T, Kondziella D, Ling GSF, Mayer SA, McNett M, Menon DK, Meyfroidt G, Monti MM, Park S, Pouratian N, Puybasset L, Rohaut B, Rosenthal ES, Schiff ND, Sharshar T, Wagner A, Whyte J, Olson DM. The Curing Coma Campaign: Framing Initial Scientific Challenges-Proceedings of the First Curing Coma Campaign Scientific Advisory Council Meeting. Neurocrit Care 2020; 33:1-12. [PMID: 32578124 PMCID: PMC7392933 DOI: 10.1007/s12028-020-01028-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Coma and disordered consciousness are common manifestations of acute neurological conditions and are among the most pervasive and challenging aspects of treatment in neurocritical care. Gaps exist in patient assessment, outcome prognostication, and treatment directed specifically at improving consciousness and cognitive recovery. In 2019, the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) launched the Curing Coma Campaign in order to address the "grand challenge" of improving the management of patients with coma and decreased consciousness. One of the first steps was to bring together a Scientific Advisory Council including coma scientists, neurointensivists, neurorehabilitationists, and implementation experts in order to address the current scientific landscape and begin to develop a framework on how to move forward. This manuscript describes the proceedings of the first Curing Coma Campaign Scientific Advisory Council meeting which occurred in conjunction with the NCS Annual Meeting in October 2019 in Vancouver. Specifically, three major pillars were identified which should be considered: endotyping of coma and disorders of consciousness, biomarkers, and proof-of-concept clinical trials. Each is summarized with regard to current approach, benefits to the patient, family, and clinicians, and next steps. Integration of these three pillars will be essential to the success of the Curing Coma Campaign as will expanding the "curing coma community" to ensure broad participation of clinicians, scientists, and patient advocates with the goal of identifying and implementing treatments to fundamentally improve the outcome of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Javier Provencio
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - J Claude Hemphill
- Department of Neurology, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, Building 1, Room 101, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA.
| | - Jan Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian L Edlow
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raimund Helbok
- Department of Neurology, Neurocritical Care, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Paul M Vespa
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael N Diringer
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Len Polizzotto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Lori Shutter
- Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC Health System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jose I Suarez
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert D Stevens
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel F Hanley
- Division of Brain Injury Outcomes, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yama Akbari
- Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery and the Beckman Laser Institute, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Thomas P Bleck
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Melanie Boly
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brandon Foreman
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joseph T Giacino
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jed A Hartings
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Theresa Human
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Kondziella
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Geoffrey S F Ling
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan A Mayer
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Molly McNett
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - David K Menon
- Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Geert Meyfroidt
- Department and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven and KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martin M Monti
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Soojin Park
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nader Pouratian
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Louis Puybasset
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Sorbonne University, GRC 29, AP-HP, DMU DREAM, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Rohaut
- Department of Neurology, Neuro-ICU, Sorbonne University, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Eric S Rosenthal
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas D Schiff
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tarek Sharshar
- Neuro-anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France
- Experimental Neuropathology, Infection and Epidemiology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Amy Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Neuroscience, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - John Whyte
- Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, PA, USA
| | - DaiWai M Olson
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
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Sanz LRD, Lejeune N, Blandiaux S, Bonin E, Thibaut A, Stender J, Farber NM, Zafonte RD, Schiff ND, Laureys S, Gosseries O. Treating Disorders of Consciousness With Apomorphine: Protocol for a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial Using Multimodal Assessments. Front Neurol 2019; 10:248. [PMID: 30941094 PMCID: PMC6433751 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: There are few available therapeutic options to promote recovery among patients with chronic disorders of consciousness (DOC). Among pharmacological treatments, apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, has exhibited promising behavioral effects and safety of use in small-sample pilot studies. The true efficacy of the drug and its neural mechanism are still unclear. Apomorphine may act through a modulation of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit, but neuroimaging and neurophysiological investigations to test this hypothesis are scarce. This clinical trial aims to (1) assess the treatment effect of subcutaneous apomorphine infusions in patients with DOC, (2) better identify the phenotype of responders to treatment, (3) evaluate tolerance and side effects in this population, and (4) examine the neural networks underlying its modulating action on consciousness. Methods/Design: This study is a prospective double-blind randomized parallel placebo-controlled trial. Forty-eight patients diagnosed with DOC will be randomized to receive a 30-day regimen of either apomorphine hydrochloride or placebo subcutaneous infusions. Patients will be monitored at baseline 30 days before initiation of therapy, during treatment and for 30 days after treatment washout, using standardized behavioral scales (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, Nociception Coma Scale-Revised), neurophysiological measures (electroencephalography, body temperature, actigraphy) and brain imaging (magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography). Behavioral follow-up will be performed up to 2 years using structured phone interviews. Analyses will look for changes in behavioral status, circadian rhythmicity, brain metabolism, and functional connectivity at the individual level (comparing before and after treatment) and at the group level (comparing apomorphine and placebo arms, and comparing responder and non-responder groups). Discussion: This study investigates the use of apomorphine for the recovery of consciousness in the first randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial using multimodal assessments. The results will contribute to define the role of dopamine agonists for the treatment of these challenging conditions and identify the neural correlates to their action. Results will bring objective evidence to further assess the modulation of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit by pharmacological agents, which may open new therapeutic perspectives. Clinical Trial Registration: EudraCT n°2018-003144-23; Clinicaltrials.gov n°NCT03623828 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03623828).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro R. D. Sanz
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Lejeune
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- CHN William Lennox, Groupe Hospitalier Saint-Luc, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Institute of Neurosciences, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Séverine Blandiaux
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Estelle Bonin
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Aurore Thibaut
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Johan Stender
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Neal M. Farber
- NeuroHealing Pharmaceuticals Inc., Newton, MA, United States
| | - Ross D. Zafonte
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicholas D. Schiff
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Steven Laureys
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Olivia Gosseries
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Liu X, Meng F, Gao J, Zhang L, Zhou Z, Pan G, Luo B. Behavioral and Resting State Functional Connectivity Effects of High Frequency rTMS on Disorders of Consciousness: A Sham-Controlled Study. Front Neurol 2018; 9:982. [PMID: 30519211 PMCID: PMC6258881 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: A combined approach of behavioral characteristics and network properties was applied to explore the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on disorders of consciousness (DOC) and to observe changes in brain network connections before and after the stimulation. Methods: A total of 7 DOC patients and 11 healthy controls were enrolled. The study was designed as a randomized, sham-controlled study. All DOC patients were given 20 Hz rTMS real and sham stimuli to the left M1 region, with each stimulus lasting for 5 consecutive working days and the interval between two stimuli being 1 week. Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) and resting state functional MRI data before and after stimuli were collected. The functional connection (FC) of the default mode network and the frontoparietal network were chosen as the central target to compare differences in network connections between the DOC group and the normal control group. For DOC patients, changes in behavior and brain function before and after real and sham stimuli were also assessed as a group and individually. Results: (1). The overall analyses showed no significant changes of CRS-R scores or brain FC following real or sham rTMS stimuli in the DOC patients. However, real rTMS stimuli tended to enhance the FC of nodes in left lateral parietal cortex (LPC), left inferior temporal cortex (ITC) and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). (2). The individual analyses showed one minimally conscious state (MCS) patient presented with a obviously increased CRS-R score following real rTMS stimuli, and a visibly enhanced connectivity was observed in the nodes of left LPC, left ITC and right DLPFC of this patient. Conclusion: Our findings did not provide sufficient evidence of therapeutic effect of 20 Hz rTMS over the left M1 in DOC. However, MCS patients shortly after brain injury may possibly benefit from rTMS. Reconstruction of the left LPC, the left ITC and the right DLPFC may be the brain networking foundation of improvements in consciousness from rTMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fanxia Meng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Hospital of Zhejiang CAPR, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Zhou
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gang Pan
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Benyan Luo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Auffret M, Drapier S, Vérin M. New tricks for an old dog: A repurposing approach of apomorphine. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 843:66-79. [PMID: 30395851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Apomorphine is a 150-year old nonspecific dopaminergic agonist, currently indicated for treating motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease. At the era of drug repurposing, its pleiotropic biological functions suggest other possible uses. To further explore new therapeutic and diagnostic applications, the available literature up to July 2018 was reviewed using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. As many of the retrieved articles consisted of case reports and preclinical studies, we adopted a descriptive approach, tackling each area of research in turn, to give a broad overview of the potential of apomorphine. Apomorphine may play a role in neurological diseases like restless legs syndrome, Huntington's chorea, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and disorders of consciousness, but also in sexual disorders, neuroleptic malignant(-like) syndrome and cancer. Further work is needed in both basic and clinical research; current developments in novel delivery strategies and apomorphine derivatives are expected to open the way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Auffret
- Behavior and Basal Ganglia Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France; Institut des Neurosciences Cliniques de Rennes (INCR), Rennes, France.
| | - Sophie Drapier
- Behavior and Basal Ganglia Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France; Institut des Neurosciences Cliniques de Rennes (INCR), Rennes, France; Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Pontchaillou University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Marc Vérin
- Behavior and Basal Ganglia Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France; Institut des Neurosciences Cliniques de Rennes (INCR), Rennes, France; Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Pontchaillou University Hospital, Rennes, France
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Liu J, Xue X, Wu Y, Yang C, Li N, Li H. Efficacy and safety of electro-acupuncture treatment in improving the consciousness of patients with traumatic brain injury: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2018; 19:296. [PMID: 29843761 PMCID: PMC5975471 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-018-2687-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a leading cause of death among young people worldwide. Survivors may live with a long-term TBI-related disability or even develop a disorder of consciousness resulting in poor life quality and shortened life expectancy. Thus far, very few approaches have been found to be effective in the consciousness recovery of these patients. Acupuncture has long been used in the treatment of neurological disorders in China. However, its efficacy and safety in consciousness recovery remain to be proved. METHODS Here, we present a study design and protocol of a randomized, blinded, controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electro-acupuncture in the consciousness recovery of patients with TBI. A total of 150 patients with initial Glasgow coma scale score of less than 8 points will be recruited in the trial and randomized into acupuncture or control groups. Patients in the control group will receive routine pharmacological treatment alone while patients in the acupuncture group will receive electro-acupuncture treatment for 10 days in addition to routine treatment. The efficacy will be assessed with the changes in Glasgow coma scale score and mismatch negativity of event-related brain potentials before and after treatment. Moreover, Glasgow outcome scale and Barthel index of activities of daily living will be compared between the two groups at 3 months after treatment. The secondary outcome measures are the length of stay in ICU and hospital, expenses in ICU and hospital, as well as the incidence of coma-related complications. The safety of electro-acupuncture will be assessed by monitoring the incidence of adverse events and changes in vital signs during the study. DISCUSSION Results from this trial will significantly add to the current body of evidence on the role of electro-acupuncture in the consciousness recovery of patients with severe TBI. In addition, a more convenient and consistent electro-acupuncture method can be set up for clinical practice. If found to be effective and safe, electro-acupuncture will be a valuable complementary option for comatose patients with TBI. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-INR-17011674 . Registered on 16 June 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, West-China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinsheng Xue
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, West-China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Department of Neurology, West-China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chaohua Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, West-China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, West-China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Huiping Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, West-China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Very few options exist for patients who survive severe traumatic brain injury but fail to fully recover and develop a disorder of consciousness (e.g. vegetative state, minimally conscious state). RECENT FINDINGS Among pharmacological approaches, Amantadine has shown the ability to accelerate functional recovery. Although with very low frequency, Zolpidem has shown the ability to improve the level of consciousness transiently and, possibly, also in a sustained fashion. Among neuromodulatory approaches, transcranial direct current stimulation has been shown to transiently improve behavioral responsiveness, but mostly in minimally conscious patients. New evidence for thalamic deep brain stimulation calls into question its cost/benefit trade-off. SUMMARY The growing understanding of the biology of disorders of consciousness has led to a renaissance in the development of therapeutic interventions for patients with disorders of consciousness. High-quality evidence is emerging for pharmacological (i.e. Amantadine) and neurostimulatory (i.e. transcranial direct current stimulation) interventions, although further studies are needed to delineate preconditions, optimal dosages, and timing of administration. Other exciting new approaches (e.g. low intensity focused ultrasound) still await systematic assessment. A crucial future direction should be the use of neuroimaging measures of functional and structural impairment as a means of tailoring patient-specific interventions.
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27
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Update on pharmacotherapy for stroke and traumatic brain injury recovery during rehabilitation. Curr Opin Neurol 2018; 29:700-705. [PMID: 27748687 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000000381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article evaluates whether specific drugs are able to facilitate motor recovery after stroke or improve the level of consciousness, cognitive, or behavioral symptoms after traumatic brain injury. RECENT FINDINGS After stroke, serotonin reuptake inhibitors can enhance restitution of motor functions in depressed as well as in nondepressed patients. Erythropoietin and progesterone administered within hours after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury failed to improve the outcome. A single dose of zolpidem can transiently improve the level of consciousness in patients with vegetative state or minimally conscious state. SUMMARY Because of the lack of large randomized controlled trials, evidence is still limited. Currently, most convincing evidence exists for fluoxetine for facilitation of motor recovery early after stroke and for amantadine for acceleration of functional recovery after severe traumatic brain injury. Methylphenidate and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors might enhance cognitive functions after traumatic brain injury. Sufficiently powered studies and the identification of predictors of beneficial drug effects are still needed.
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Gosseries O, Pistoia F, Charland-Verville V, Carolei A, Sacco S, Laureys S. The Role of Neuroimaging Techniques in Establishing Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy in Disorders of Consciousness. Open Neuroimag J 2016; 10:52-68. [PMID: 27347265 PMCID: PMC4894918 DOI: 10.2174/1874440001610010052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-communicative brain damaged patients raise important clinical and scientific issues. Here, we review three major pathological disorders of consciousness: coma, the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and the minimally conscious state. A number of clinical studies highlight the difficulty in making a correct diagnosis in patients with disorders of consciousness based only on behavioral examinations. The increasing use of neuroimaging techniques allows improving clinical characterization of these patients. Recent neuroimaging studies using positron emission tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation can help assess diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic treatment. These techniques, using resting state, passive and active paradigms, also highlight possible dissociations between consciousness and responsiveness, and are facilitating a more accurate understanding of brain function in this challenging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Gosseries
- Coma Science Group, GIGA, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United-States
| | - Francesca Pistoia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Neurological Institute, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Carolei
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Neurological Institute, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Simona Sacco
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Neurological Institute, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, GIGA, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
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Multimodality monitoring consensus statement: monitoring in emerging economies. Neurocrit Care 2015; 21 Suppl 2:S239-69. [PMID: 25208665 DOI: 10.1007/s12028-014-0019-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The burden of disease and so the need for care is often greater at hospitals in emerging economies. This is compounded by frequent restrictions in the delivery of good quality clinical care due to resource limitations. However, there is substantial heterogeneity in this economically defined group, such that advanced brain monitoring is routinely practiced at certain centers that have an interest in neurocritical care. It also must be recognized that significant heterogeneity in the delivery of neurocritical care exists even within individual high-income countries (HICs), determined by costs and level of interest. Direct comparisons of data between HICs and the group of low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs) are made difficult by differences in patient demographics, selection for ICU admission, therapies administered, and outcome assessment. Evidence suggests that potential benefits of multimodality monitoring depend on an appropriate environment and clinical expertise. There is no evidence to suggest that patients in LAMICs where such resources exist should be treated any differently to patients from HICs. The potential for outcome benefits in LAMICs is arguably greater in absolute terms because of the large burden of disease; however, the relative cost/benefit ratio of such monitoring in this setting must be viewed in context of the overall priorities in delivering health care at individual institutions.
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Abstract
Current research shows that apomorphine is an effective treatment for symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD). The highly lipophilic structure allows apomorphine to cross cell membranes rapidly, leading to the rapid onset of action for on/off symptoms of PD. The use of apomorphine was limited in the past due to peripheral side effects, but with the advent of better delivery systems and medications to control side effects, apomorphine is better tolerated and more widely in use. The major delivery systems are continuous subcutaneous infusions and intermittent subcutaneous injections, but other delivery routes are under investigation. The purpose of this article is to discuss the current use of apomorphine, the current delivery systems and to discuss future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Boyle
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6410 Fannin Street, Ste 1010, Houston, TX, 77030, USA,
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31
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Neuromodulation of the conscious state following severe brain injuries. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2014; 29:172-7. [PMID: 25285395 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness (DOC) following severe structural brain injuries globally affect the conscious state and the expression of goal-directed behaviors. In some subjects, neuromodulation with medications or electrical stimulation can markedly improve the impaired conscious state present in DOC. We briefly review recent studies and provide an organizing framework for considering the apparently widely disparate collection of medications and approaches that may modulate the conscious state in subjects with DOC. We focus on neuromodulation of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit in DOC and briefly compare mechanisms supporting recovery from structural brain injuries to those underlying facilitated emergence from unconsciousness produced by anesthesia. We derive some general principles for approaching the problem of restoration of consciousness after severe structural brain injuries, and suggest directions for future research.
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Napolitani M, Bodart O, Canali P, Seregni F, Casali A, Laureys S, Rosanova M, Massimini M, Gosseries O. Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with high-density EEG in altered states of consciousness. Brain Inj 2014; 28:1180-9. [DOI: 10.3109/02699052.2014.920524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Ciurleo R, Bramanti P, Calabrò RS. Pharmacotherapy for disorders of consciousness: are 'awakening' drugs really a possibility? Drugs 2014; 73:1849-62. [PMID: 24170667 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-013-0138-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness, including the coma state, vegetative state and minimally conscious state, are among the least understood and least curable conditions in modern neurology. Structural or functional injuries may produce impairments in the neuronal circuits (the ascending reticular activating system and thalamocortical loops) responsible for maintaining the wakefulness state and awareness, associated with a change in neurotransmitter concentrations. Pharmacological agents that are able to restore the levels of neurotransmitters and, consequently, neural synaptic plasticity and functional connectivity of consciousness networks, may play an important role as drugs useful in improving the consciousness state. Currently, there is growing interest in the scientific community with regard to pharmacological agents that act on the gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA) system, such as zolpidem and baclofen, and monoamine systems, such as dopaminergic agents and some antidepressants. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of these potential 'awakening' drugs in patients with disorders of consciousness. The possible mechanisms by which these drugs may exert their effects in promoting recovery of consciousness are discussed, highlighting how many findings are often the result of sporadic events rather than prospective controlled trials or implementation of standard treatment guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo S.S. 113, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy,
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34
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Brogan ME, Provencio JJ. Spectrum of catastrophic brain injury: coma and related disorders of consciousness. J Crit Care 2014; 29:679-82. [PMID: 24930368 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2014.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/20/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Brogan
- Cerebrovascular Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
| | - J Javier Provencio
- Cerebrovascular Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.
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Electrical modulation of neuronal networks in brain-injured patients with disorders of consciousness: A systematic review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 33:88-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annfar.2013.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Central thalamic deep brain stimulation for support of forebrain arousal regulation in the minimally conscious state. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2013; 116:295-306. [PMID: 24112903 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-53497-2.00024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
This chapter considers the use of central thalamic deep brain stimulation (CT/DBS) to support arousal regulation mechanisms in the minimally conscious state (MCS). CT/DBS for selected patients in a MCS is first placed in the historical context of prior efforts to use thalamic electrical brain stimulation to treat the unconscious clinical conditions of coma and vegetative state. These previous studies and a proof of concept result from a single-subject study of a patient in a MCS are reviewed against the background of new population data providing benchmarks of the natural history of vegetative and MCSs. The conceptual foundations for CT/DBS in selected patients in a MCS are then presented with consideration of both circuit and cellular mechanisms underlying recovery of consciousness identified from empirical studies. Directions for developing future generalizable criteria for CT/DBS that focus on the integrity of necessary brain systems and behavioral profiles in patients in a MCS that may optimally response to support of arousal regulation mechanisms are proposed.
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Schiff ND. Moving toward a generalizable application of central thalamic deep brain stimulation for support of forebrain arousal regulation in the severely injured brain. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2012; 1265:56-68. [PMID: 22834729 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06712.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This review considers the challenges ahead for developing a generalizable strategy for the use of central thalamic deep brain stimulation (CT/DBS) to support arousal regulation mechanisms in the severely injured brain. Historical efforts to apply CT/DBS to patients with severe brain injuries and a proof-of-concept result from a single-subject study are discussed. Circuit and cellular mechanisms underlying the recovery of consciousness are considered for their relevance to the application of CT/DBS, to improve consciousness and cognition in nonprogressive brain injuries. Finally, directions for development, and testing of generalizable criteria for CT/DBS are suggested, which aim to identify neuronal substrates and behavioral profiles that may optimally benefit from support of arousal regulation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Schiff
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA.
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Neuroanatomic connectivity of the human ascending arousal system critical to consciousness and its disorders. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2012; 71:531-46. [PMID: 22592840 DOI: 10.1097/nen.0b013e3182588293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 290] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) mediates arousal, an essential component of human consciousness. Lesions of the ARAS cause coma, the most severe disorder of consciousness. Because of current methodological limitations, including of postmortem tissue analysis, the neuroanatomic connectivity of the human ARAS is poorly understood. We applied the advanced imaging technique of high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) to elucidate the structural connectivity of the ARAS in 3 adult human brains, 2 of which were imaged postmortem. High angular resolution diffusion imaging tractography identified the ARAS connectivity previously described in animals and also revealed novel human pathways connecting the brainstem to the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the basal forebrain. Each pathway contained different distributions of fiber tracts from known neurotransmitter-specific ARAS nuclei in the brainstem. The histologically guided tractography findings reported here provide initial evidence for human-specific pathways of the ARAS. The unique composition of neurotransmitter-specific fiber tracts within each ARAS pathway suggests structural specializations that subserve the different functional characteristics of human arousal. This ARAS connectivity analysis provides proof of principle that HARDI tractography may affect the study of human consciousness and its disorders, including in neuropathologic studies of patients dying in coma and the persistent vegetative state.
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What is the role of brain mechanisms underlying arousal in recovery of motor function after structural brain injuries? Curr Opin Neurol 2012; 24:564-9. [PMID: 22002078 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0b013e32834cd4f5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Standard neurorehabilitation approaches have limited impact on motor recovery in patients with severe brain injuries. Consideration of the contributions of impaired arousal offers a novel approach to understand and enhance recovery. RECENT FINDINGS Animal and human neuroimaging studies are elucidating the neuroanatomical bases of arousal and of arousal regulation, the process by which the cerebrum mobilizes resources. Studies of patients with disorders of consciousness have revealed that recovery of these processes is associated with marked improvements in motor performance. Recent studies have also demonstrated that patients with less severe brain injuries also have impaired arousal, manifesting as diminished sustained attention, fatigue, and apathy. In these less severely injured patients, it is difficult to connect disorders of arousal with motor recovery because of a lack of measures of arousal that are independent of motor function. SUMMARY Arousal impairment is common after brain injury and likely plays a significant role in recovery of motor function. A more detailed understanding of this connection will help to develop new therapeutic strategies applicable for a wide range of patients. This requires new tools that continuously and objectively measure arousal in patients with brain injury, to correlate with detailed measures of motor performance and recovery.
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Impact of pharmacological treatments on cognitive and behavioral outcome in the postacute stages of adult traumatic brain injury: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2011; 31:745-57. [PMID: 22020351 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e318235f4ac] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacological treatments that are administered to adults in the postacute stage after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) (≥4 weeks after injury) have the potential to reduce persistent cognitive and behavioral problems. While a variety of treatments have been examined, the findings have yet to be consolidated, hampering advances in the treatment of TBI. A meta-analysis of research that has investigated the cognitive and behavioral effects of pharmacological treatments administered in the later stage after TBI was therefore conducted. The PubMed and PsycINFO databases were searched, and Cohen d effect sizes, percent overlap, and failsafe N statistics were calculated for each treatment. Both randomized controlled trials and open-label studies (prospective and retrospective) were included. Nineteen treatments were investigated by 30 independent studies, comprising 395 participants with TBI in the treatment groups and 137 control subjects. When treated in the postacute period, 1 dopaminergic agent (methylphenidate) improved behavior (anger/aggression, psychosocial function) and 1 cholinergic agent (donepezil) improved cognition (memory, attention). In addition, when the injury-to-treatment interval was broadened to include studies that administered treatment just before the postacute period, 2 dopaminergic agents (methylphenidate, amantadine) showed clinically useful treatment benefits for behavior, whereas 1 serotonergic agent (sertraline) markedly impaired cognition and psychomotor speed.
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Gosseries O, Vanhaudenhuyse A, Bruno MA, Demertzi A, Schnakers C, Boly MM, Maudoux A, Moonen G, Laureys S. Disorders of Consciousness: Coma, Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-18047-7_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Pistoia F, Mura E, Govoni S, Fini M, Sarà M. Awakenings and awareness recovery in disorders of consciousness: is there a role for drugs? CNS Drugs 2010; 24:625-38. [PMID: 20658796 DOI: 10.2165/11535940-000000000-00000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness (DOC) include coma, vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS). Coma is a condition of unarousability with a complete absence of wakefulness and awareness, whereas VS is characterized by a lack of awareness despite a preserved wakefulness. Patients in coma are unconscious because they lack both wakefulness and awareness. Patients in a VS are unconscious because, although they are wakeful, they lack awareness. Patients in a MCS show minimal but definite behavioural evidence of self and environmental awareness. Coma results from diffuse bilateral hemispheric lesions or selective damage to the ascending reticular system (which is functionally connected to the cerebral cortex by intralaminar thalamic nuclei). VS is a syndrome that is considered to be the result of a disconnection of different cortical networks rather than a dysfunction of a single area or a global reduction in cortical metabolism. As revealed by functional imaging studies, clinical recovery is often associated with a functional restoration of cortico-thalamo-cortical connections. Depending on the amount of network restored, patients may regain full consciousness or remain in a MCS. Molecular and neural mediators may indirectly contribute to the above restoration processes owing to their role in the phenomenon of neural synaptic plasticity. Therefore, there is growing interest in the possible effects of drugs that act at the level of the CNS in promoting emergence from DOC. Sporadic cases of dramatic recovery from DOC after the administration of various pharmacological agents, such as baclofen, zolpidem and amantadine, have been recently supported by intriguing scientific observations. Analysis of the reported cases of recovery, with particular attention paid to the condition of the patients and to the association of their improvement with the start of drug administration, suggests that these treatments might have promoted the clinical improvement of some patients. These drugs are from various and diverging classes, but can be grouped into two main categories, CNS stimulants and CNS depressants. Some of these treatments seem to directly encourage a consciousness restoration, while others play a more determinant role in improving cognitive domains, especially in patients with residual cognitive impairment, than in the field of consciousness. Given the great interest recently generated in the scientific community by the increasing number of papers addressing this issue, further investigation of the above treatments, with particular attention paid to their mechanisms of action, the neurotransmitters involved and their effects on cortico-thalamo-cortical circuitry, is needed.
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