scholarly journals Safety, feasibility, and adherence of a daily, in‐home gamma sensory stimulation therapy with the Cognito Sensory Stimulation System in Alzheimer’s subjects

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (S9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Williams ◽  
Aylin Cimenser ◽  
Evan Hempel ◽  
Colleen Cotter ◽  
Mohinish Shukla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Stimulation System

An Adaptive and Learning System for Feedback-Controlled Evoked Response Studies

1981 ◽  
Vol 20 (03) ◽  
pp. 169-173
Author(s):  
J. Wagner ◽  
G. Pfurtscheixer
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Evoked Response ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Electrical Brain Activity ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Eeg Power ◽  
Stimulation System ◽  
Background Eeg

The shape, latency and amplitude of changes in electrical brain activity related to a stimulus (Evoked Potential) depend both on the stimulus parameters and on the background EEG at the time of stimulation. An adaptive, learnable stimulation system is introduced, whereby the subject is stimulated (e.g. with light), whenever the EEG power is subthreshold and minimal. Additionally, the system is conceived in such a way that a certain number of stimuli could be given within a particular time interval. Related to this time criterion, the threshold specific for each subject is calculated at the beginning of the experiment (preprocessing) and adapted to the EEG power during the processing mode because of long-time fluctuations and trends in the EEG. The process of adaptation is directed by a table which contains the necessary correction numbers for the threshold. Experiences of the stimulation system are reflected in an automatic correction of this table. Because the corrected and improved table is stored after each experiment and is used as the starting table for the next experiment, the system >learns<. The system introduced here can be used both for evoked response studies and for alpha-feedback experiments.

scholarly journals High Glycogen Levels in Brains of Rats with Minimal Environmental Stimuli: Implications for Metabolic Contributions of Working Astrocytes

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1476-1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy F. Cruz ◽  
Gerald A. Dienel
Keyword(s):  
Rat Brain ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Enzyme Inactivation ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Metabolic Labeling ◽  
Tissue Sampling ◽  
Normal Rat ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
Very High

The concentration of glycogen, the major brain energy reserve localized mainly in astrocytes, is generally reported as about 2 or 3 μmol/g, but sometimes as high as 3.9 to 8 μmol/g, in normal rat brain. The authors found high but very different glycogen levels in two recent studies in which glycogen was determined by the routine amyloglucosidase procedure in 0.03N HCl digests either of frozen powders (4.8 to 6 μmol/g) or of ethanol-insoluble fractions (8 to 12 μmol/g). To evaluate the basis for these discrepant results, glycogen was assayed in parallel extracts of the same samples. Glycogen levels in ethanol extracts were twice those in 0.03N HCl digests, suggesting incomplete enzyme inactivation even with very careful thawing. The very high glycogen levels were biologically active and responsive to physiologic and pharmacological challenge. Glycogen levels fell after brief sensory stimulation, and metabolic labeling indicated its turnover under resting conditions. About 95% of the glycogen was degraded under in vitro ischemic conditions, and its “carbon equivalents” recovered mainly as glc, glc-P, and lactate. Resting glycogen stores were reduced by about 50% by chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase. Because neurotransmitters are known to stimulate glycogenolysis, stress or sensory activation due to animal handling and tissue-sampling procedures may stimulate glycogenolysis during an experiment, and glycogen lability during tissue sampling and extraction can further reduce glycogen levels. The very high glycogen levels in normal rat brain suggest an unrecognized role for astrocytic energy metabolism during brain activation.

scholarly journals Effect of defibrillation on the performance of an implantable vagus nerve stimulation system

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Imad Libbus ◽  
Scott R. Stubbs ◽  
Scott T. Mazar ◽  
Scott Mindrebo ◽  
Bruce H. KenKnight ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Pulse Generator ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Implantable Pulse Generator ◽  
Defibrillation Pulse ◽  
Stimulation System

Abstract Background Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) delivers Autonomic Regulation Therapy (ART) for heart failure (HF), and has been associated with improvement in cardiac function and heart failure symptoms. VNS is delivered using an implantable pulse generator (IPG) and lead with electrodes placed around the cervical vagus nerve. Because HF patients may receive concomitant cardiac defibrillation therapy, testing was conducted to determine the effect of defibrillation (DF) on the VNS system. Methods DF testing was conducted on three ART IPGs (LivaNova USA, Inc.) according to international standard ISO14708-1, which evaluated whether DF had any permanent effects on the system. Each IPG was connected to a defibrillation pulse generator and subjected to a series of high-energy pulses. Results The specified series of pulses were successfully delivered to each of the three devices. All three IPGs passed factory electrical tests, and interrogation confirmed that software and data were unchanged from the pre-programmed values. No shifts in parameters or failures were observed. Conclusions Implantable VNS systems were tested for immunity to defibrillation, and were found to be unaffected by a series of high-energy defibrillation pulses. These results suggest that this VNS system can be used safely and continue to function after patients have been defibrillated.

scholarly journals Effect of Aging, Gender and Sensory Stimulation of TRPV1 Receptors with Capsaicin on Spontaneous Swallowing Frequency in Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 461
Author(s):  
Weslania Nascimento ◽  
Noemí Tomsen ◽  
Saray Acedo ◽  
Cristina Campos-Alcantara ◽  
Christopher Cabib ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oropharyngeal Dysphagia ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Brainstem Reflex ◽  
Trpv1 Receptors ◽  
Volume Viscosity ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Effect Of Age ◽  
Stimulation Of

Spontaneous swallowing contributes to airway protection and depends on the activation of brainstem reflex circuits in the central pattern generator (CPG). We studied the effect of age and gender on spontaneous swallowing frequency (SSF) in healthy volunteers and assessed basal SSF and TRPV1 stimulation effect on SSF in patients with post-stroke oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). The effect of age and gender on SSF was examined on 141 healthy adult volunteers (HV) divided into three groups: GI—18–39 yr, GII—40–59 yr, and GIII—>60 yr. OD was assessed by the Volume–Viscosity Swallowing Test (VVST). The effect of sensory stimulation with capsaicin 10−5 M (TRPV1 agonist) was evaluated in 17 patients with post-stroke OD, using the SSF. SSF was recorded in all participants during 10 min using surface electromyography (sEMG) of the suprahyoid muscles and an omnidirectional accelerometer placed over the cricothyroid cartilage. SSF was significantly reduced in GII (0.73 ± 0.50 swallows/min; p = 0.0385) and GIII (0.50 ± 0.31 swallows/min; p < 0.0001) compared to GI (1.03 ± 0.62 swallows/min), and there was a moderate significant correlation between age and SFF (r = −0.3810; p < 0.0001). No effect of gender on SSF was observed. Capsaicin caused a strong and significant increase in SSF after the TRPV1 stimulation when comparing to basal condition (pre-capsaicin: 0.41 ± 0.32 swallows/min vs post-capsaicin: 0.81 ± 0.51 swallow/min; p = 0.0003). OD in patients with post-stroke OD and acute stimulation with TRPV1 agonists caused a significant increase in SSF, further suggesting the potential role of pharmacological stimulation of sensory pathways as a therapeutic strategy for CPG activation in patients with OD.

scholarly journals Sensory over-responsivity is related to GABAergic inhibition in thalamocortical circuits

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily T. Wood ◽  
Kaitlin K. Cummings ◽  
Jiwon Jung ◽  
Genevieve Patterson ◽  
Nana Okada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Brain Responses

AbstractSensory over-responsivity (SOR), extreme sensitivity to or avoidance of sensory stimuli (e.g., scratchy fabrics, loud sounds), is a highly prevalent and impairing feature of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), anxiety, and ADHD. Previous studies have found overactive brain responses and reduced modulation of thalamocortical connectivity in response to mildly aversive sensory stimulation in ASD. These findings suggest altered thalamic sensory gating which could be associated with an excitatory/inhibitory neurochemical imbalance, but such thalamic neurochemistry has never been examined in relation to SOR. Here we utilized magnetic resonance spectroscopy and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the relationship between thalamic and somatosensory cortex inhibitory (gamma-aminobutyric acid, GABA) and excitatory (glutamate) neurochemicals with the intrinsic functional connectivity of those regions in 35 ASD and 35 typically developing pediatric subjects. Although there were no diagnostic group differences in neurochemical concentrations in either region, within the ASD group, SOR severity correlated negatively with thalamic GABA (r = −0.48, p < 0.05) and positively with somatosensory glutamate (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). Further, in the ASD group, thalamic GABA concentration predicted altered connectivity with regions previously implicated in SOR. These variations in GABA and associated network connectivity in the ASD group highlight the potential role of GABA as a mechanism underlying individual differences in SOR, a major source of phenotypic heterogeneity in ASD. In ASD, abnormalities of the thalamic neurochemical balance could interfere with the thalamic role in integrating, relaying, and inhibiting attention to sensory information. These results have implications for future research and GABA-modulating pharmacologic interventions.

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