Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats
Low-intensity noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) can improve static and dynamic postural deficits in patients with bilateral vestibular loss (BVL). In this study, we aimed to explore the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates underlying nGVS treatment effects in a rat model of B...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Biomolecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/11/1580 |
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| author | Max Wuehr Eva Eilles Magdalena Lindner Maximilian Grosch Roswitha Beck Sibylle Ziegler Andreas Zwergal |
| author_facet | Max Wuehr Eva Eilles Magdalena Lindner Maximilian Grosch Roswitha Beck Sibylle Ziegler Andreas Zwergal |
| author_sort | Max Wuehr |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Low-intensity noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) can improve static and dynamic postural deficits in patients with bilateral vestibular loss (BVL). In this study, we aimed to explore the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates underlying nGVS treatment effects in a rat model of BVL. Regional brain activation patterns and behavioral responses to a repeated 30 min nGVS treatment in comparison to sham stimulation were investigated by serial whole-brain <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET measurements and quantitative locomotor assessments before and at nine consecutive time points up to 60 days after the chemical bilateral labyrinthectomy (BL). The <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET revealed a broad nGVS-induced modulation on regional brain activation patterns encompassing biologically plausible brain networks in the brainstem, cerebellum, multisensory cortex, and basal ganglia during the entire observation period post-BL. nGVS broadly reversed brain activity adaptions occurring in the natural course post-BL. The parallel behavioral locomotor assessment demonstrated a beneficial treatment effect of nGVS on sensory-ataxic gait alterations, particularly in the early stage of post-BL recovery. Stimulation-induced locomotor improvements were finally linked to nGVS brain activity responses in the brainstem, hemispheric motor, and limbic networks. In conclusion, combined <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET and locomotor analysis discloses the potential neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates that mediate previously observed therapeutic nGVS effects on postural deficits in patients with BVL. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:59:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eded45dc835f4ccc948448666bd5357e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2218-273X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:59:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomolecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-eded45dc835f4ccc948448666bd5357e2023-11-24T14:31:49ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2023-10-011311158010.3390/biom13111580Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in RatsMax Wuehr0Eva Eilles1Magdalena Lindner2Maximilian Grosch3Roswitha Beck4Sibylle Ziegler5Andreas Zwergal6German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, GermanyLow-intensity noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) can improve static and dynamic postural deficits in patients with bilateral vestibular loss (BVL). In this study, we aimed to explore the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates underlying nGVS treatment effects in a rat model of BVL. Regional brain activation patterns and behavioral responses to a repeated 30 min nGVS treatment in comparison to sham stimulation were investigated by serial whole-brain <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET measurements and quantitative locomotor assessments before and at nine consecutive time points up to 60 days after the chemical bilateral labyrinthectomy (BL). The <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET revealed a broad nGVS-induced modulation on regional brain activation patterns encompassing biologically plausible brain networks in the brainstem, cerebellum, multisensory cortex, and basal ganglia during the entire observation period post-BL. nGVS broadly reversed brain activity adaptions occurring in the natural course post-BL. The parallel behavioral locomotor assessment demonstrated a beneficial treatment effect of nGVS on sensory-ataxic gait alterations, particularly in the early stage of post-BL recovery. Stimulation-induced locomotor improvements were finally linked to nGVS brain activity responses in the brainstem, hemispheric motor, and limbic networks. In conclusion, combined <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET and locomotor analysis discloses the potential neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates that mediate previously observed therapeutic nGVS effects on postural deficits in patients with BVL.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/11/1580bilateral vestibulopathygalvanic vestibular stimulationstochastic resonance<sup>18</sup>F-FDG imaginglocomotiongait ataxia |
| spellingShingle | Max Wuehr Eva Eilles Magdalena Lindner Maximilian Grosch Roswitha Beck Sibylle Ziegler Andreas Zwergal Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats Biomolecules bilateral vestibulopathy galvanic vestibular stimulation stochastic resonance <sup>18</sup>F-FDG imaging locomotion gait ataxia |
| title | Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats |
| title_full | Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats |
| title_fullStr | Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats |
| title_short | Repetitive Low-Intensity Vestibular Noise Stimulation Partly Reverses Behavioral and Brain Activity Changes following Bilateral Vestibular Loss in Rats |
| title_sort | repetitive low intensity vestibular noise stimulation partly reverses behavioral and brain activity changes following bilateral vestibular loss in rats |
| topic | bilateral vestibulopathy galvanic vestibular stimulation stochastic resonance <sup>18</sup>F-FDG imaging locomotion gait ataxia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/11/1580 |
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