Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
A feasibility study to investigate the effect of functional electrical stimulation and physiotherapy exercise on the quality of gait of people with multiple sclerosis.
To examine the effect of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) for dropped foot and hip instability in combination with physiotherapy core stability exercises. ⋯ The intervention was feasible. FES for dropped foot may improve mobility and quality of life and may reduce falls. Adding gluteal stimulation further improved gait quality. Adding physiotherapy may have enhanced the effect of FES, but FES had the dominant effect.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Patient-perceived differences between constant current and constant voltage spinal cord stimulation systems.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems employ implantable pulse generators that use either a constant current (CC) or a constant voltage (CV) power source. CC power sources adjust voltage in response to resistance (impedance) to ensure that consistent current is delivered to the patient. CV power sources do not adjust voltage in response to impedance; therefore, current delivered to the patient will vary in response to changes in impedance. Both systems produce paresthesia and have been shown to treat chronic pain; however, it has been suggested that patients prefer CC stimulation over CV stimulation. ⋯ The results from this study indicate that patients preferred and experienced greater satisfaction and pain relief with the CC system during an SCS trial period. Differences between the two systems following long-term use has yet to be compared. However, the benefits of the CC system seen with short-term use should be considered when selecting an SCS system.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Neuromodulation of emotion using functional electrical stimulation applied to facial muscles.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common condition for which available pharmaceutical treatments are not always effective and can have side-effects. Therefore, alternative and/or complementary MDD treatments are needed. Research on facial expressions has shown that facial movements can induce the corresponding emotions, particularly when specific attention is paid to voluntarily activating muscles that are typically only activated involuntarily while expressing emotions. We hypothesized that functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to facial muscles may enhance this effect due to its ability to modulate central nervous system plasticity. Thus, applying FES to the facial muscles associated with smiling (including the "Duchenne marker") may increase the activity of subcortical nuclei related to positive emotions and counteract symptoms of depression. ⋯ These results suggest that modulating emotion using FES may be possible, but is difficult to target accurately. Further work is warranted to explore FES applications to MDD.
-
Postoperative programming in deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for movement disorders can be challenging and time consuming. Providing the neurologist with tools to visualize the electrode location relative to the patient's anatomy along with models of tissue activation and statistical data can therefore be very helpful. In this study, we evaluate the consistency between neurologists in interpreting and using such information provided by our DBS programming assistance software. ⋯ Our five neurologists demonstrated high consistency in interpreting information provided by the CRAVE interactive visualization software for DBS postoperative programming assistance. Three of our five neurologists had no prior experience with the software, which suggests that the software has a short learning curve and contact selection is not dependent on familiarity with the program tools.
-
Clinical Trial
Peripheral nerve field stimulation for chronic headache: 60 cases and long-term follow-up.
The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) for the treatment of chronic headache conditions. ⋯ PNFS for chronic headache is an evolving therapy. This study demonstrates that this reversible and effective treatment can be a promising pain relief strategy for this often intractable condition.