Article
Neurosciences
Hyosok Lim, Brice Cleland, Sangeetha Madhavan
Summary: Gait variability after stroke increases risk of falls and compromises safe ambulation. The relation between corticomotor characteristics and gait variability remains unknown in individuals with chronic stroke. This study found that corticomotor input to the proximal muscle may play an important role in spatial gait variability, reflecting a compensatory role of the muscle in walking after stroke. These findings may provide novel rehabilitative targets to decrease gait variability and promote safe ambulation in stroke survivors.
Article
Neurosciences
Carys Evans, Catharina Zich, Jenny S. A. Lee, Nick Ward, Sven Bestmann
Summary: The direction of applied electric current is a key factor in the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Inter-individual anatomical differences affect the consistency of current direction at a cortical target. This study used current flow modelling to quantify the variability in current direction in tDCS and found substantial inter-individual variability across different montages. The difference in current direction suggests that different mechanisms may be involved in modulating cortical excitability.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Natalia Comino-Suarez, Juan C. Moreno, Julio Gomez-Soriano, Alvaro Megia-Garcia, Diego Serrano-Munoz, Julian Taylor, Monica Alcobendas-Maestro, Angel Gil-Agudo, Antonio J. del-Ama, Juan Avendano-Coy
Summary: The systematic review found that the combination of tDCS with RT did not improve upper limb function, strength, spasticity, functional independence, or velocity of movement after stroke. However, tDCS may enhance the effects of RT alone for lower limb function.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natalie Mrachacz-Kersting, Andrew James Thomas Stevenson, Ulf Ziemann
Summary: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to study the excitability of corticospinal neurons in the hand versus leg representation of the human motor cortex. The results showed that regulation of excitability through GABAAergic and glutamatergic interneuronal circuitry is highly similar in both representations, and that both representations are activated in largely identical ways by TMS.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Thatchaya Prathum, Pagamas Piriyaprasarth, Benchaporn Aneksan, Vimonwan Hiengkaew, Thitinat Pankhaew, Roongtiwa Vachalathiti, Wanalee Klomjai
Summary: Home-based dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation (dual-tDCS) combined with exercise can facilitate motor recovery in patients with chronic stroke, with sustained improvement in FMA scores. However, the effects on functional tasks remain unclear.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Suzana Bleckmann Reis, Wanderley Marques Bernardo, Carlos Andre Oshiro, Hermano Igo Krebs, Adriana Bastos Conforto
Summary: According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, there is currently insufficient data to support the benefits of NIBS as an add-on intervention to robot-assisted therapy for upper-limb motor function or activity in individuals with stroke.
NEUROREHABILITATION AND NEURAL REPAIR
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
M. A. Callejon-Leblic, Pedro C. Miranda
Summary: This study analyzed the impact of head model extent on E-field accuracy, with a focus on specific electrode montages. Standard cut head models were found to provide accurate predictions for both E-field magnitude and distribution in targeted brain areas, while fronto-occipital montages exhibited larger errors in non-targeted regions.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Qiuwen Gong, Rubing Yan, Han Chen, Xia Duan, Xiaoyu Wu, Xin Zhang, Yi Zhou, Zhou Feng, Ya Chen, Jianbo Liu, Peng Xu, Jing Qiu, Hongliang Liu, Jingming Hou
Summary: This study found that cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) therapy can effectively and safely promote the recovery of upper limb motor function in stroke patients through a randomized trial.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Nathanial R. Eckert, Davin Greenwell, Brach Poston, Zachary A. Riley
Summary: This study investigated the behavior of the cutaneous silent period (CSP) in multiple upper-limb muscles. The results suggest that the CSP modulates descending drive differentially across these muscles.
Article
Neurosciences
Akira Saito, Kento Nakagawa, Yohei Masugi, Kimitaka Nakazawa
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the involvement of corticospinal pathways in intra-limb modulation of spinal reflex circuits in lower-limb muscles during voluntary contractions. The results showed that different lower-limb muscles exhibited various changes in reflex excitability during specific contractions, suggesting a complex interplay between corticospinal and spinal reflex circuits in modulating muscle activity.
EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Da Som Choi, Sangjun Lee
Summary: In this study, the optimal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) electrode montage for stimulating nonsuperficial cortical regions was investigated using finite element head models. The findings showed that attaching the anode and cathode to specific electrode positions, such as C4-C3 for the foot motor, F4-F3 for the dmPFC, Fp2-F7 for the mOFC, and Oz-Cz for V1, can deliver the maximum electric field to these regions. These suggested montages are expected to enhance the overall effectiveness of stimulation in nonsuperficial cortical areas.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Rehabilitation
Victor Navarro-Lopez, Manuel Del-Valle-Gratacos, Diego Fernandez-Vazquez, Pilar Fernandez-Gonzalez, Maria Carratala-Tejada, Francisco Molina-Rueda
Summary: This review evaluates the clinical application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the management of phantom limb pain (PLP) in amputees. The results of randomized controlled trials suggest that anodic tDCS over the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1) significantly reduces the intensity and frequency of PLP. Single-session treatment can modify PLP intensity for hours, while multi-session treatment may modify PLP for months. Limited evidence suggests that phantom limb sensations (PLS) and psychiatric disorders should be treated with different electrode placements for PLP. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times are needed to establish the optimal application of tDCS in PLP management.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Amiri Matsumoto, Nan Liang, Hajime Ueda, Keisuke Irie
Summary: The study found that the corticospinal excitability of the lower limb muscles increases prior to the ballistic upper limb movement of dart throwing, indicating that the corticospinal pathway contributes to anticipatory postural adjustments in the lower limb in a muscle-specific manner.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiao-Hua Zhang, Tao Gu, Xuan-Wei Liu, Ping Han, Hui-Lan Lv, Yu-Long Wang, Peng Xiao
Summary: The study demonstrates that both tDCS and FES significantly promote the recovery of leg motor function in stroke patients, with tDCS being more effective in the stroke recovery stage. The application value of SEP in stroke patients needs further exploration.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Ryoki Sasaki, Wei-Yeh Liao, George M. Opie, John G. Semmler
Summary: Repetitive paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation can enhance the plasticity of the primary motor cortex. The orientation of the TMS coil and muscle activation can affect the activity of I-waves, but their influence on M1 plasticity with iTMS is still unclear.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Maria-Sophie Breu, Marlieke Schneider, Johannes Klemt, Idil Cebi, Alireza Gharabaghi, Daniel Weiss
Summary: This study found increased muscle activation of the alpha and lower beta bands in PD freezers compared to healthy controls, and this was attenuated with STN-DBS, which paralleled the clinical improvement of freezing.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Anne Koy, Andrea A. Kuehn, Julius Huebl, Gerd-Helge Schneider, Anne K. van Riesen, Matthias Eckenweiler, Cornelia Rensing-Zimmermann, Volker Arnd Coenen, Joachim K. Krauss, Assel Saryyeva, Hans Hartmann, Martin Haeussler, Jens Volkmann, Cordula Matthies, Annette Horn, Alfons Schnitzler, Jan Vesper, Alireza Gharabaghi, Daniel Weiss, Andrea Bevot, Warren Marks, Angela Pomykal, Elegast Monbaliu, Guntram Borck, Joerg Mueller, Reinhild Prinz-Langenohl, Till Dembek, Veerle Visser-Vandewalle, Jochen Wirths, Petra Schiller, Martin Hellmich, Lars Timmermann
Summary: DBS treatment may improve quality of life in pediatric patients with pharmacorefractory dyskinetic cerebral palsy, but current evidence is not yet sufficient to recommend it as a routine treatment method, further research is needed.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Inken Toedt, Bassam Al-Fatly, Oliver Granert, Andrea A. Kuehn, Paul Krack, Joern Rau, Lars Timmermann, Alfons Schnitzler, Steffen Paschen, Ann-Kristin Helmers, Andreas Hartmann, Eric Bardinet, Michael Schuepbach, Michael T. Barbe, Till A. Dembek, Valerie Fraix, Dorothee Kuebler, Christine Brefel-Courbon, Alireza Gharabaghi, Lars Wojtecki, Marcus O. Pinsker, Stephane Thobois, Philippe Damier, Tatiana Witjas, Jean-Luc Houeto, Carmen Schade-Brittinger, Marie Vidailhet, Andreas Horn, Guenther Deuschl
Summary: This study assessed the impact of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease, finding a correlation between the stimulated part of the STN and improvements in symptom control and quality of life.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Kathrin Machetanz, Florian Grimm, Sophie Wang, Martin U. Schuhmann, Marcos Tatagiba, Alireza Gharabaghi, Georgios Naros
Summary: Robot-assisted, transcerebellar stereotaxy can improve the risk-benefit ratio of brainstem biopsies by avoiding the restrictions of a transfrontal approach and conventional frame-based stereotaxy. Profound registration and anatomical-functional trajectory selection were essential to reduce mortality and morbidity.
NEUROSURGICAL FOCUS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Richard Drexler, Sharona Ben-Haim, Christian G. Bien, Valeri Borger, Francesco Cardinale, Alexandre Carpentier, Fernando Cendes, Sarat Chandra, Hans Clusmann, Albert Colon, Marco de Curtis, Daniel Delev, Giuseppe Didato, Lasse Duehrsen, Jibril Osman Farah, Marc Guenot, Saadi Ghatan, Claire Haegelen, Hajo Hamer, Jason S. Hauptmann, Rosalind L. Jeffree, Thilo Kalbhenn, Josua Kegele, Niklaus Krayenbuehl, Johannes Lang, Bertrand Mathon, Georgios Naros, Julia Onken, Fedor Panov, Christian Raftopoulos, Franz L. Ricklefs, Kim Rijkers, Michele Rizzi, Karl Roessler, Olaf Schijns, Ulf C. Schneider, Andrea Spyrantis, Adam Strzelczyk, Stefan Stodieck, Manjari Tripathi, Sumeet Vadera, Mario A. Alonso-Vanegas, Jose Geraldo Ribero Vaz, Joerg Wellmer, Tim Wehner, Manfred Westphal, Thomas Sauvigny
Summary: The EASINESS study aims to establish standardized reference values for patients undergoing surgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Data collected from renowned international centers will be used to define outcome references and serve as benchmarks for future clinical trials.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Miriam Bender, Marcos Tatagiba, Alireza Gharabaghi
Summary: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and perceived benefit play important roles in medical decision-making. This study compared HRQoL and perceived benefit in patients undergoing surgical treatment for vestibular schwannoma (VS), and explored the influence of comorbid depression.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Robert J. Lauerer, Emely Rosenow, Rudi Beschorner, Johann-Martin Hempel, Georgios Naros, Anna Hofmann, Katharina Berger, Jennifer Sartor-Pfeiffer, Annerose Mengel, Ulf Ziemann, Volker Rickerts, Katharina Feil
Summary: This study investigates brain abscesses caused by S. apiospermum, highlighting the challenges in diagnosing and treating this condition. The study finds that using specific quantitative PCR can facilitate early identification of fungi and potentially improve patient clinical outcomes.
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Bettina Hanna Trunk, Lukas Ziegler, Alireza Gharabaghi
Article
Neurosciences
Georgios Naros, Kathrin Machetanz, Maria Teresa Leao, Sophie Wang, Marcos Tatagiba, Alireza Gharabaghi
Summary: This study investigated the impact of glial brain tumors on the functional corticospinal integrity and found that conventional MEP features were unreliable in reflecting this impact. Frequency-domain MEP features, on the other hand, provided a better assessment of motor impairment.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Robert Guggenberger, Bettina Hanna Trunk, Sine Canbolat, Lukas Ziegler, Alireza Gharabaghi
Summary: This study evaluated the reliability and validity of ipsilateral motor-evoked potentials (iMEP) induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation in healthy adults. The results showed significant variations in iMEP estimation between different algorithms, and template-based approaches may be more valid. This is important for the selection and development of analysis algorithms for magnetically induced potentials.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Agnes Langer, Lara Lucke-Paulig, Lucia Gassner, Rejko Krueger, Daniel Weiss, Alireza Gharabaghi, Heidemarie Zach, Walter Maetzler, Markus A. Hobert
Summary: This study compared the effects of deep brain stimulation and dopaminergic medication on gait parameters in patients with advanced Parkinson disease. The results showed that dopaminergic medication had larger additional effects on gait parameters under both single-tasking and dual-tasking conditions, while deep brain stimulation only improved specific gait parameters.
Article
Neurosciences
Kathrin Machetanz, Florian Grimm, Ruth Schaefer, Leonidas Trakolis, Helene Hurth, Patrick Haas, Alireza Gharabaghi, Marcos Tatagiba, Georgios Naros
Summary: This study introduces a cost-effective custom-made EMG biofeedback system for facial rehabilitation, demonstrating its good application potential in both healthy subjects and patients with facial palsy. There is a correlation between electrophysiological measurements and clinical outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jaakko Vallinoja, Timo Nurmi, Julia Jaatela, Vincent Wens, Mathieu Bourguignon, Helena Maenpaa, Harri Piitulainen
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of lesions related to spastic diplegic cerebral palsy on functional connectivity. Using multiple imaging modalities, the researchers found enhanced functional connectivity in the sensorimotor network of individuals with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, which was not correlated with hand coordination performance.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Francesca Ginatempo, Nicola Loi, John C. Rothwell, Franca Deriu
Summary: This study comprehensively investigated sensorimotor integration in the cranial-cervical muscles of healthy adults and found that the integration of sensory inputs with motor output is profoundly influenced by the type of sensory afferent involved and the functional role played by the target muscle.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2024)
