Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation
Abstract Early rehabilitation in the acute phase of stroke, that bears unique neuroplastic properties, is the current standard to reduce disability. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation can augment neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke. Studies in the acute phase are sparse and held back b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51839-5 |
| _version_ | 1797275024445407232 |
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| author | Brita Fritsch Marleen Mayer Janine Reis Anne-Kathrin Gellner |
| author_facet | Brita Fritsch Marleen Mayer Janine Reis Anne-Kathrin Gellner |
| author_sort | Brita Fritsch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Early rehabilitation in the acute phase of stroke, that bears unique neuroplastic properties, is the current standard to reduce disability. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation can augment neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke. Studies in the acute phase are sparse and held back by inconclusive preclinical data pointing towards potential negative interaction of the excitability increasing tDCS modality with stroke-induced glutamate toxicity. In this present study, we aimed to evaluate structural and behavioral safety of anodal tDCS applied in the acute phase of stroke. Photothrombotic stroke including the right primary motor cortex was induced in rats. 24 h after stroke anodal tDCS was applied for 20 min ipsilesionally at one of four different current densities in freely moving animals. Effects on the infarct volume and on stroke induced neuroinflammation were assessed. Behavioral consequences were monitored. Infarct volume and the modified Neurological Severity Score were not affected by anodal tDCS. Pasta handling, a more sensitive task for sensorimotor deficits, and microglia reactivity indicated potentially harmful effects at the highest tDCS current density tested (47.8 A/m2), which is more than 60 times higher than intensities commonly used in humans. Compared to published safety limits of anodal tDCS in healthy rats, recent stroke does not increase the sensitivity of the brain to anodal tDCS, as assessed by lesion size and neuroinflammatory response. Behavioral deficits only occurred at the highest intensity, which was associated with increased neuroinflammation. When safety limits of commonly used clinical tDCS are met, augmentation of early neurorehabilitation after stroke by anodal tDCS appears to be feasible. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:07:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a7fb256360254b369ded163e37ad38bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:07:27Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-a7fb256360254b369ded163e37ad38bc2024-03-05T18:51:46ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111010.1038/s41598-024-51839-5Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitationBrita Fritsch0Marleen Mayer1Janine Reis2Anne-Kathrin Gellner3Department of Neurology, University Hospital FreiburgDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital FreiburgDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital FreiburgDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital FreiburgAbstract Early rehabilitation in the acute phase of stroke, that bears unique neuroplastic properties, is the current standard to reduce disability. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation can augment neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke. Studies in the acute phase are sparse and held back by inconclusive preclinical data pointing towards potential negative interaction of the excitability increasing tDCS modality with stroke-induced glutamate toxicity. In this present study, we aimed to evaluate structural and behavioral safety of anodal tDCS applied in the acute phase of stroke. Photothrombotic stroke including the right primary motor cortex was induced in rats. 24 h after stroke anodal tDCS was applied for 20 min ipsilesionally at one of four different current densities in freely moving animals. Effects on the infarct volume and on stroke induced neuroinflammation were assessed. Behavioral consequences were monitored. Infarct volume and the modified Neurological Severity Score were not affected by anodal tDCS. Pasta handling, a more sensitive task for sensorimotor deficits, and microglia reactivity indicated potentially harmful effects at the highest tDCS current density tested (47.8 A/m2), which is more than 60 times higher than intensities commonly used in humans. Compared to published safety limits of anodal tDCS in healthy rats, recent stroke does not increase the sensitivity of the brain to anodal tDCS, as assessed by lesion size and neuroinflammatory response. Behavioral deficits only occurred at the highest intensity, which was associated with increased neuroinflammation. When safety limits of commonly used clinical tDCS are met, augmentation of early neurorehabilitation after stroke by anodal tDCS appears to be feasible.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51839-5 |
| spellingShingle | Brita Fritsch Marleen Mayer Janine Reis Anne-Kathrin Gellner Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation Scientific Reports |
| title | Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation |
| title_full | Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation |
| title_fullStr | Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation |
| title_short | Safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke: implications for early neurorehabilitation |
| title_sort | safety of ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in acute photothrombotic stroke implications for early neurorehabilitation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51839-5 |
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