Impact of transcranial electrical stimulation on serum neurotrophic factors and language function in patients with speech disorders

BACKGROUND Speech disorders have a substantial impact on communication abilities and quality of life.Traditional treatments such as speech and psychological therapies frequently demonstrate limited effectiveness and patient compliance.Transcranial electrical stimulation(TES)has emerged as a promising non-invasive treatment to improve neurological functions.However,its effectiveness in enhancing language functions and serum neurofactor levels in individuals with speech disorders requires further investigation.AIM To investigate the impact of TES in conjunction with standard therapies on serum neurotrophic factor levels and language function in patients with speech disorders.METHODS In a controlled study spanning from March 2019 to November 2021,81 patients with speech disorders were divided into a control group(n=40)receiving standard speech stimulation and psychological intervention,and an observation group(n=41)receiving additional TES.The study assessed serum levels of ciliary neurotrophic factor(CNTF),glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF),brainderived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),and nerve growth factor(NGF),as well as evaluations of motor function,language function,and development quotient scores.RESULTS After 3 wk of intervention,the observation group exhibited significantly higher serum levels of CNTF,GDNF,BDNF,and NGF compared to the control group.Moreover,improvements were noted in motor function,cognitive function,language skills,physical abilities,and overall development quotient scores.It is worth mentioning that the observation group also displayed superior perfor CONCLUSION This retrospective study concluded that TES combined with traditional speech and psychotherapy can effectively increase the levels of neurokines in the blood and enhance language function in patients with speech disorders.These results provide a promising avenue for integrating TES into standard treatment methods for speech disorders.

Research progress on the application of transcranial electrical stimulation in auditory disorders

Transcranial electrical stimulation(tES)is a non-invasive nerve stimulation technique that modulates changes in neural activities in cerebral cortex through a weak current of specific intensity(and frequency).It has become a valuable tool for the study of human behavior and cognitive neurophysiological processes.As a brain stimulation technology with broad development prospects,it is not mature enough in the field of human auditory research.However,the research on tES has obtained preliminary results in regulating motor ability.This article mainly introduces the effects of tES and auditory steady state response on auditory,and the applications of tES in auditory diseases.By summarizing and discussing tES during auditory processing as comprehensively as possible,the potential application value of tES in the treatment of auditory diseases could be illustrated.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in non-invasive neuromodulation

Non-invasive cerebral neuromodulation technologies are essential for the reorganization of cerebral neural networks,which have been widely applied in the field of central neurological diseases,such as stroke,Parkinson’s disease,and mental disorders.Although significant advances have been made in neuromodulation technologies,the identification of optimal neurostimulation paramete rs including the co rtical target,duration,and inhibition or excitation pattern is still limited due to the lack of guidance for neural circuits.Moreove r,the neural mechanism unde rlying neuromodulation for improved behavioral performance remains poorly understood.Recently,advancements in neuroimaging have provided insight into neuromodulation techniques.Functional near-infrared spectroscopy,as a novel non-invasive optical brain imaging method,can detect brain activity by measuring cerebral hemodynamics with the advantages of portability,high motion tole rance,and anti-electromagnetic interference.Coupling functional near-infra red spectroscopy with neuromodulation technologies offe rs an opportunity to monitor the cortical response,provide realtime feedbac k,and establish a closed-loop strategy integrating evaluation,feedbac k,and intervention for neurostimulation,which provides a theoretical basis for development of individualized precise neuro rehabilitation.We aimed to summarize the advantages of functional near-infra red spectroscopy and provide an ove rview of the current research on functional near-infrared spectroscopy in transcranial magnetic stimulation,transcranial electrical stimulation,neurofeedback,and braincomputer interfaces.Furthermore,the future perspectives and directions for the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in neuromodulation are summarized.In conclusion,functional near-infrared spectroscopy combined with neuromodulation may promote the optimization of central pellral reorganization to achieve better functional recovery form central nervous system diseases.

Random noise stimulation in the treatment of patients with neurological disorders

Random noise stimulation technique involves applying any form of energy(for instance,light,mechanical,electrical,sound)with unpredictable intensities through time to the brain or sensory receptors to enhance sensory,motor,or cognitive functions.Random noise stimulation initially employed mechanical noise in auditory and cutaneous stimuli,but electrical energies applied to the brain or the skin are becoming more frequent,with a series of clinical applications.Indeed,recent evidence shows that transcranial random noise stimulation can increase corticospinal excitability,improve cognitive/motor performance,and produce beneficial aftereffects at the behavioral and psychological levels.Here,we present a narrative review about the potential uses of random noise stimulation to treat neurological disorders,including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,amblyopia,myopia,tinnitus,multiple sclerosis,post-stroke,vestibular-postural disorders,and sensitivity loss.Many of the reviewed studies reveal that the optimal way to deliver random noise stimulation-based therapies is with the concomitant use of neurological and neuropsychological assessments to validate the beneficial aftereffects.In addition,we highlight the requirement of more randomized controlled trials and more physiological studies of random noise stimulation to discover another optimal way to perform the random noise stimulation interventions.

Enhancement of visual perception by combining transcranial electrical stimulation and visual perceptual training

The visual system remains highly malleable even after its maturity or impairment.Our visual function can be enhanced through many ways,such as transcranial electrical stimulation(tES)and visual perceptual learning(VPL).TES can change visual function rapidly,but its modulation effect is short-lived and unstable.By contrast,VPL can lead to a substantial and long-lasting improvement in visual function,but extensive training is typically required.Theoretically,visual function could be further improved in a shorter time frame by combining tES and VPL than by solely using tES or VPL.Vision enhancement by combining these two methods concurrently is both theoretically and practically significant.In this review,we firstly introduced the basic concept and possible mechanisms of VPL and tES;then we reviewed the current research progress of visual enhancement using the combination of two methods in both general and clinical population;finally,we discussed the limitations and future directions in this field.Our review provides a guide for future research and application of vision enhancement and restoration by combining VPL and tES.

Therapeutic potential of neuromodulation for demyelinating diseases

Neuromodulation represents a cutting edge class of both invasive and non-invasive therapeutic methods which alter the activity of neurons.Currently,several different techniques have been developed-or are currently being investigated–to treat a wide variety of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.Recently,in vivo and in vitro studies have revealed that neuromodulation can also induce myelination,meaning that it could hold potential as a therapy for various demyelinating diseases including multiple sclerosis and progressive multifocal leukencepalopathy.These findings come on the heels of a paradigm shift in the view of myelin's role within the nervous system from a static structure to an active co-regulator of central nervous system plasticity and participant in neuron-mediated modulation.In the present review,we highlight several of the recent findings regarding the role of neural activity in altering myelination including several soluble and contact-dependent factors that seem to mediate neural activitydependent myelination.We also highlight several considerations for neuromodulatory techniques,including the need for further research into spatiotemporal precision,dosage,and the safety and efficacy of transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation,an emerging neuromodulation technology.As the field of neuromodulation continues to evolve,it could potentially bring forth methods for the treatment of demyelinating diseases,and as such,further investigation into the mechanisms of neuron-dependent myelination as well as neuro-imaging modalities that can monitor myelination activity is warranted.

Clinical Research Progress on Physical Rehabilitation Therapy for Migraine

Migraine is a common and recurrent chronic disorder.Migraine is often associated with anxiety,depression and other emotional diseases.With the development of physical rehabilitation techniques,the long-term clinical efficacy of rehabilitation in the treatment of migraine and the prevention of recurrence have been widely accepted.This paper reviews the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation therapy in clinical treatment of migraine in recent years.

Combined monitoring of evoked potentials during microsurgery for lesions adjacent to the brainstem and intracranial aneurysms

Background Neurophysiologic monitoring during surgery is to prevent permanent neurological injury resulting from surgical manipulation. To improve the accuracy and sensitivity of intraoperative neuromonitoring, combined monitoring of transcranial electrical stimulation motor evoked potentials （TES-MEPs）, somatosensory evoked potentials （SSEPs） and brainstem auditory evoked potentials （BAEPs） was attempted in microsurgery for lesions adjacent to the brainstem and intracranial aneurysms. Methods Monitoring of combined TES-MEPs with SSEPs was attempted in 68 consecutive patients with lesions adjacent to the brainstem as well as intracranial aneurysms. Among them, 31 patients （31 operations, 28 of posterior cranial fossa tumors, 3 of posterior circulation aneurysms） were also subjected to monitoring of BAEPs. The correlation of monitoring results and clinical outcome was studied prospectively. Results Combined monitoring of evoked potentials （EPs） was done in 64 （94.1%） of the 68 patients. MEPs monitoring was impossible for 4 patients （5.9%）. No complication was observed during the combined monitoring in all the patients. In 45 （66.2%） of the 68 patients, EPs were stable, and they were neurologically intact. Motor dysfunction was detected by MEPs in 8 patients, SSEPs in 5, and BAEPs in 4, respectively. Conclusions A close relationship exists between postoperative motor function and the results of TES-MEPs monitoring TES-MEPs are superior to SSEPs and BAEPs in detecting motor dysfunction, but combined EPs serve as a safe, effective and invasive method for intraoperative monitoring of the function of the motor nervous system. Monitoring of combined EPs during microsurgery for lesions adjacent to the brainstem and intracranial aneurysms may detect potentially hazardous maneuvers and improve the safety of subsequent procedures.