Brain Stimul
-
Empathic responses to facial cues are a main social competency. Both appraisal processes (facial emotion detection) and self-perceived empathy (empathic responsiveness) in response to emotional faces are thought to be related to empathic behavior, although no systematic analysis has been performed to assess their relationship. ⋯ The ability to monitor emotional cues and the behavioral empathic responsiveness to emotional situations was shown to be partially compromised in the case of frontal activity disruption, highlighting the main role of the sensorimotor system for empathic social skills.
-
Previous studies have claimed that weak transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) induces persisting activity changes in the human motor cortex and working memory, but to date no studies have evaluated the effects of tDCS on declarative memory. ⋯ The results indicated that active stimulation of the left DLPFC leads to an enhancement or impairment of verbal memorization depending on the polarity of the stimulation. Furthermore, this effect was specific to the site of stimulation.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcranial direct current stimulation in treatment resistant depression: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the prefrontal cortex has been proposed as therapeutic intervention in major depression. According to clinical needs, this study addresses the question whether tDCS is effective in treatment resistant major depressive episodes. ⋯ Anodal tDCS, applied for 2 weeks, was not superior to placebo treatment in patients with treatment resistant depression. However, secondary outcome measures are pointing to a positive effect of tDCS on emotions. Therefore, modified and improved tDCS protocols should be carried out in controlled pilot trials to develop tDCS towards an efficacious antidepressant intervention in therapy-resistant depression.
-
Clinical Trial
Intraoperative microelectrode recording for the delineation of subthalamic nucleus topography in Parkinson's disease.
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) as an effective target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in advanced Parkinson's disease is functionally divided into the dorsolateral sensorimotor and the ventromedial limbic and associative parts. To implant electrodes for DBS close to the sensorimotor region is considered crucial for optimal motor benefit and for avoidance of potential cognitive and behavioral side effects. ⋯ Among all parameters analyzed in the study, spike pattern is the only convenient electrophysiologic parameter for the differentiation of STN subregions in patients with Parkinson's disease. The autocorrelogram-based analysis of spike activity seems to be of certain value for the delineation of the dorsolateral STN and might therefore facilitate the precise electrode implantation for DBS.
-
Clinical Trial
Transient effects of 80 Hz stimulation on gait in STN DBS treated PD patients: a 15 months follow-up study.
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) is an effective therapeutic option for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Nevertheless, some patients develop gait disturbances despite a persistent improvement of PD segmental symptoms. Recent studies reported that stimulation of STN with low frequencies produced a positive effect on gait disorders and freezing episodes. ⋯ Stimulation frequency at 80 Hz has an immediate positive effect on gait in STN DBS treated patients; however, the objective gait improvement is not maintained over time, limiting the use of this frequency modulation strategy in the clinical setting.