Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Two commonly used forms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) were recently shown to be equivalent for the treatment of depression: high-frequency stimulation (10 Hz), a protocol that lasts between 19 and 38 minutes, and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a protocol that can be delivered in just three minutes. However, it is unclear whether iTBS treatment offers the same benefits as those of standard 10-Hz rTMS for comorbid symptoms such as those seen in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ⋯ Although limited by small sample size, nonblind, and pseudorandomized assignment, our data suggest that iTBS is similar to 10-Hz stimulation in inducing reductions in PTSD symptoms and depression in military veterans.
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Generalization (or near-transfer) effects of an intervention to tasks not explicitly trained are the most desirable intervention outcomes. However, they are rarely reported and even more rarely explained. One hypothesis for generalization effects is that the tasks improved share the same brain function/computation with the intervention task. We tested this hypothesis in this study of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) that is claimed to be involved in selective semantic retrieval of information from the temporal lobes. ⋯ The Clinicaltrials.gov registration number for the study is NCT02606422.
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Review Meta Analysis
The Analgesic Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression of Potential Influencers of Clinical Effect.
There is tentative evidence to support the analgesic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in fibromyalgia (FM), with large variability in the effect size (ES) encountered in different clinical trials. Understanding the source of the variability and exploring how it relates to the clinical results could characterize effective neuromodulation protocols and ultimately guide care in FM pain. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effect of tDCS in FM pain as compared with sham tDCS. The secondary objective was to explore the relationship of methodology, population, and intervention factors and the analgesic effect of tDCS in FM. ⋯ Results suggest an analgesic effect of tDCS in FM. tDCS protocols that last four weeks or more may be associated with larger ESs. Definite conclusions are inadequate given the large heterogeneity and limited quality of evidence of the included studies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
High-Definition Transcranial Infraslow Pink-Noise Stimulation Can Influence Functional and Effective Cortical Connectivity in Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Pilot Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study.
Pain can be regarded as an emergent property of multiple interacting, dynamically changing brain networks and thus needs a targeted treatment approach. A novel high-definition transcranial infraslow pink-noise stimulation (HD-tIPNS) technique was developed to modulate the key hubs of the three main nociceptive pathways simultaneously, ie, the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) (descending inhibitory pathway), the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) (medial nociceptive pathway), and both somatosensory cortices (S1) (lateral nociceptive pathway). This study aimed to evaluate safety and verify whether a single session of HD-tIPNS may disrupt functional and effective connectivity between targeted cortical regions. ⋯ The Clinicaltrials.gov registration number for the study is ACTRN12621001438842.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the Primary Motor Cortex in Women With Fibromyalgia: A Randomized, Triple-Blind Clinical Trial.
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of ten sessions of active transcranial direct current stimulation transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) (2 mA) with 13:20:13 stimulation at M1 in women with fibromyalgia (FM). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article that uses this protocol in patients with FM. The main hypothesis is that the protocol would be effective in decreasing pain and that the results would last for up to 90 days. ⋯ The results of this study suggest that active tDCS with an intensity of 2 mA for ten sessions was effective in decreasing pain and fatigue and improving QoL in patients with FM.