Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
-
Comparative Study
Comparison of burst and tonic spinal cord stimulation on spinal neural processing in an animal model.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) using bursts of pulses suppressed neuropathic pain as well or better than tonic stimulation and limited the incidences of parasthesias. The present translational study explored possible differences in mechanisms of burst and tonic SCS on nociceptive spinal networks and/or the gracile nucleus supraspinal relay. ⋯ Based on the clinically relevant burst versus tonic parameters used in this study, burst SCS is more efficacious than tonic SCS in attenuating visceral nociception. Burst and tonic SCS also suppress lumbosacral neuronal responses to noxious somatic and visceral stimuli; however, burst SCS has a greater inhibitory effect on the neuronal response to noxious somatic stimuli than to noxious visceral stimuli. Reduced or abolished paresthesia in patients may be due in part to burst SCS not increasing spontaneous activity of neurons in the gracile nucleus.
-
Previous experiments suggest that the striatal sensorimotor territory in rats is located in its dorsolateral region, along the rostrocaudal axis, unlike what has been observed in primates. In the present study, electrical stimulation was performed to investigate the degree of participation of the posterior striatum in its motor territory, its somatotopic organization, and the motor responses evoked by stimulation. ⋯ The results allowed us to infer the following posterior striatal somatotopic organization: forepaws, posterolaterally, being the contralateral medial to the ipsilateral; trunk/tail, anteromedially; and hindpaws, in an intermediate position, being the contralateral posterior to the ipsilateral. It is suggested that the tremor and the other observed motor responses derive from the excitation of striatal projection neurons and that the striatum may play an important role in the genesis of essential tremor.
-
We developed a custom-made miniaturized neural stimulation system with a liquid crystal polymer (LCP)-based electrode array for animal experiments. In order to verify the feasibility of the system, motor cortex stimulation (MCS) was applied on the rat pain model induced by sciatic nerve injury. ⋯ We developed a miniaturized electrical stimulation system with a novel flexible LCP electrode array for MCS in rats. This system is expected to be used in studying various neurological diseases and examining in vivo brain function.
-
Clinical Trial
Safety and efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation paired with tones for the treatment of tinnitus: a case series.
Classical neuromodulation applies current to the nervous system in an attempt to alter ongoing activity. However, classical neuromodulation interferes with activity but does not drive it in a controlled way. Recently, an animal study demonstrated it is possible to drive plasticity in a controlled way by using stimulation of the vagus nerve paired with tones. This reversed the tinnitus percept and pathological neural plasticity in noise-exposed rats with behavioral characteristics of tinnitus. The aim of the current study was to translate this innovative neuromodulation method to humans suffering from tinnitus. ⋯ VNS paired with tones excluding the tinnitus-matched frequency is safe and feasible. It seems to exert a beneficial effect in nonmedication-taking patients, both with regard to the perceived sound and the distress. Further studies are therefore mandated.