High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex relieves musculoskeletal pain in patients with Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPain is common in Parkinson's disease, and there is no effective treatment. We conducted a clinical trial to determine whether high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex alleviates musculoskeletal pain in patients with Parkinson's disease.MethodsIn this single-center and double-blind trial, 52 patients with Parkinson's disease and musculoskeletal pain were randomly allocated to 26-member groups receiving 5 sessions of either 20-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or sham stimulation over the primary motor cortex. The participants underwent assessments in the “ON” medication state at baseline, after the fifth session, and at 2- and 4-week follow-up timepoints. The primary outcomes were pain scores on a numeric rating scale. The secondary outcomes were scores on clinical scales assessing motor symptoms, depression, anxiety, autonomic symptoms, sleep quality, and the overall severity of Parkinson's disease.ResultsAnalyses revealed significant group × time interactions for numeric rating scale pain scores (p < 0.001), motor symptom scores (p < 0.001), depression scores (p = 0.009), anxiety scores (p = 0.013), and overall disease severity scores (p < 0.001). Post hoc analyses confirmed that the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation group, but not the sham stimulation group, exhibited significant improvements in numeric rating scale pain scores, motor symptom scores, depression scores, anxiety scores, and overall disease severity scores.ConclusionHigh-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex may be an effective adjunct therapy for alleviating musculoskeletal pain in patients with Parkinson's disease.     

生物反馈电刺激联合补中益气汤对产妇产后盆底康复效果的影响

目的探讨生物反馈电刺激联合补中益气汤对产妇产后盆底康复效果的影响。方法将56例初产妇按随机数字表法分成对照组与研究组各28例。对照组给予补中益气汤治疗;研究组在对照组基础上联合生物反馈电刺激治疗,两组均治疗6周。观测盆底肌相关电压、盆底肌力、尿失禁率、性生活质量。结果治疗后,两组盆底电位均值均显著升高,研究组高于对照组(P<0.05);治疗后,研究组尿失禁发生率显著降低,且显著低于对照组(P<0.05);研究组Ⅱ、Ⅲ、IV级肌力显著低于对照组(P<0.05);研究组性生活质量高水平显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论生物反馈电刺激联合补中益气汤可有效促进产妇产后盆底康复,效果显著优于单独补中益气汤。     

持续静脉应用胰岛素、胰岛素泵用于治疗糖尿病酮症酸中毒病患的临床效果分析

目的:调研和分析持续静脉应用胰岛素和胰岛素泵用于治疗糖尿病酮症酸中毒患者的临床效果。方法:选择2017年1月~2019年1月到本院糖尿病科接受治疗糖尿病酮症酸中毒的68例患者作为调研对象,以随机法分为对照组(34例)和观察组(34例)。其中,对照组患者接持续静脉应用胰岛素治疗,观察组患者接受胰岛素泵应用胰岛素治疗。观察并对比两组患者相关指标情况以及低血糖发生情况。结果:观察组患者的尿酮转阴时间、血糖达标时间、尿酮体消失时间、血浆pH值恢复正常时间明显短于对照组,胰岛素应用剂量少于对照组(P<0.05);观察组患者的低血糖发生率2.94%明显低于对照组14.71%(P<0.05)。结论:在糖尿病酮症酸中毒患者接受治疗的过程中,相比较于持续静脉应用胰岛素,胰岛素泵应用胰岛素的临床治疗效果较好。     

Investigation of the Optimal Parameters of Median Nerve Stimulation Using a Variety of Stimulation Methods and Its Effects on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review

ObjectivesThere is a wealth of literature supporting the use of median nerve stimulation (MNS) for modulating autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction such as in hypoxia, recovery after heart valve replacement, ischemia, and cardiac contractibility. Heart rate variability (HRV) is considered a gold standard for measuring autonomic modulation and dynamic nonlinear ANS processes through the use of an electrocardiogram (ECG). Although the use of MNS on HRV in animals and humans has been documented, optimal stimulation parameters are yet to be outlined.Materials and MethodsThis review aims to synthesize findings of neurostimulation using MNS on animals and humans while observing HRV using an ECG. Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines with search parameters of “Median nerve stimulation,” “Neiguan,” “PC-6,” “HRV,” “Heart rate variability,” and “Heart-rate variability” observing on animals and human subjects, we found a total of 17 eligible articles.ResultsIn this review, changing two parameters, that is, stimulation frequency and side of stimulation, appears to be the most influential in effecting frequency-domain ECG analysis of HRV. However, it is evident from this review that to perform an effective comparison of the effects of MNS on HRV, more detailed reports of the studies are required.ConclusionsFinding the optimal stimulation parameters for MNS is crucial for improving HRV. This will in turn contribute to normalizing ANS function impaired in numerous clinical conditions, such as epilepsy or diabetes.     

Posterior medial frontal cortex and threat-enhanced religious belief: a replication and extension

Research indicates that the posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC) functions as a ‘neural alarm’ complex broadly involved in registering threats and helping to muster relevant responses. Holbrook and colleagues investigated whether pMFC similarly mediates ideological threat responses, finding that downregulating pMFC via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) caused (i) less avowed religious belief despite being reminded of death and (ii) less group bias despite encountering a sharp critique of the national in-group. While suggestive, these findings were limited by the absence of a non-threat comparison condition and reliance on sham rather than control TMS. Here, in a pre-registered replication and extension, we downregulated pMFC or a control region (MT/V5) and then primed participants with either a reminder of death or a threat-neutral topic. As mentioned previously, participants reminded of death reported less religious belief when pMFC was downregulated. No such effect of pMFC downregulation was observed in the neutral condition, consistent with construing pMFC as monitoring for salient threats (e.g. death) and helping to recruit ideological responses (e.g. enhanced religious belief). However, no effect of downregulating pMFC on group bias was observed, possibly due to reliance on a collegiate in-group framing rather than a national framing as in the prior study.     

Comparison of fiber tract low frequency stimulation to focal and ANT stimulation in an acute rat model of focal cortical seizures

BackgroundCurrent implementations of direct brain stimulation for epilepsy in patients involve high-frequency (HFS) electrical current and targeting of grey matter. Studies have shown that low-frequency (LFS) fiber-tract stimulation may also prove effective. To compare the efficacy of high-frequency grey matter stimulation to the low-frequency fiber tract stimulation technique a well-controlled set of experiments using a single animal model of epilepsy is needed.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to determine the relative efficacy of different direct brain stimulation techniques for suppressing seizures using an acute rat model of focal cortical seizures.Methods4-AP was injected into the S1 region of cortex in rodents over 3 h. LFPs were recorded from the seizure focus and mirror focus to monitor seizure frequency during the experiments. CC-LFS, HFS-ANT, Focal-HFS, or a transection of the CC was applied.ResultsStimulation of the CC yielded a 65% ±14% (p = 0.0014) reduction of seizures in the focus and a 97% ±15% (p = 0.0026) reduction in the mirror focus (n = 7). By comparison transection of the CC produced a 65% ±18% reduction in the focus and a non-statistically significant reduction of 57% ±18% (p = 0.1381) in the mirror focus (n = 5). All other methods of stimulation failed to have a statistically significant effect on seizure suppression.ConclusionsLFS of the CC is the only method of stimulation to significantly reduce seizure frequency in this model of focal cortical seizures. These results support the hypothesis that LFSof fiber tracts has significant potential for seizure control.