scholarly journals Diffusion Tensor Imaging Evaluation of Neural Network Development in Patients Undergoing Therapeutic Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation following Stroke

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Yamada ◽  
Ryo Ueda ◽  
Wataru Kakuda ◽  
Ryo Momosaki ◽  
Takahiro Kondo ◽  
...  

We aimed to investigate plastic changes in cerebral white matter structures using diffusion tensor imaging following a 15-day stroke rehabilitation program. We compared the detection of cerebral plasticity between generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA), a novel tool for investigating white matter structures, and fractional anisotropy (FA). Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS) of 2400 pulses applied to the nonlesional hemisphere and 240 min intensive occupation therapy (OT) daily over 15 days. Motor function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). Patients underwent diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on admission and discharge, from which bilateral FA and GFA values in Brodmann area (BA) 4 and BA6 were calculated. Motor function improved following treatment (p<0.001). Treatment increased GFA values for both the lesioned and nonlesioned BA4 (p<0.05, p<0.001, resp.). Changes in GFA value for BA4 of the lesioned hemisphere were significantly inversely correlated with changes in WMFT scores (R2=0.363, p<0.05). Our findings indicate that the GFA may have a potentially more useful ability than FA to detect changes in white matter structures in areas of fiber intersection for any such future investigations.

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e018011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Tang ◽  
Aimin Chen ◽  
Shuzhen Zhu ◽  
Li Yang ◽  
Jiyuan Zhou ◽  
...  

IntroductionStudies suggest that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is effective for the treatment of depression and promotes the repair of white matter. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of rTMS in treating depression after basal ganglia ischaemic stroke and to examine whether such effects are related to restoration of white matter integrity.Methods and analysisSixty-six participants will be recruited from Zhujiang Hospital, Nanfang Hospital and Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Hospital and randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive active rTMS treatment or sham rTMS treatment in addition to routine supportive treatments. The data will be collected at 0, 2 and 4 weeks after the commencement of treatment. The primary outcome is the measurement of 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores, and the secondary outcomes include diffusion tensor imaging results and the results of neuropsychological tests including the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Activities of Daily Living Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Clinical Global Impressions scales, Aphasia Battery in Chinese, Social Support Revalued Scale and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University. The findings will be disseminated by publication in a peer-reviewed journal and by presentation at international conferences.Trial registration numberNCT03159351.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 454-460
Author(s):  
Dana M Middleton ◽  
Jonathan Y Li ◽  
Steven D Chen ◽  
Leonard E White ◽  
Patricia I Dickson ◽  
...  

Purpose We compared fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity measurements between pediatric canines affected with mucopolysaccharidosis I and pediatric control canines. We hypothesized that lower fractional anisotropy and higher radial diffusivity values, consistent with dysmyelination, would be present in the mucopolysaccharidosis I cohort. Methods Six canine brains, three affected with mucopolysaccharidosis I and three unaffected, were euthanized at 7 weeks and imaged using a 7T small-animal magnetic resonance imaging system. Average fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values were calculated for four white-matter regions based on 100 regions of interest per region per specimen. A 95% confidence interval was calculated for each mean value. Results No difference was seen in fractional anisotropy or radial diffusivity values between mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected brains in any region. In particular, the 95% confidence intervals for mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected canines frequently overlapped for both fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity measurements. In addition, in some brain regions a large range of fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values were seen within the same cohort. Conclusion The fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values of white matter did not differ between pediatric mucopolysaccharidosis affected canines and pediatric control canines. Possible explanations include: (a) a lack of white matter tissue differences between mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected brains at early disease stages; (b) diffusion tensor imaging does not detect any existing differences; (c) inflammatory processes such as astrogliosis produce changes that offset the decreased fractional anisotropy values and increased radial diffusivity values that are expected in dysmyelination; and (d) our sample size was insufficient to detect differences. Further studies correlating diffusion tensor imaging findings to histology are warranted.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document