Neuroprotective effect of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation in a rat stroke model

Notturno, Francesca; Pace, Marta; Zappasodi, Filippo; Cam, Ertugrul; Bassetti, Claudio L.; Uncini, Antonino (2014). Neuroprotective effect of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation in a rat stroke model. Journal of the neurological sciences, 342(1-2), pp. 146-151. Elsevier 10.1016/j.jns.2014.05.017

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Experimental focal brain ischemia generates in the penumbra recurrent depolarizations which spread across the injured cortex inducing infarct growth. Transcranial direct current stimulation can induce a lasting, polarity-specific, modulation of cortical excitability. To verify whether cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation could reduce the infarct size and the number of depolarizations, focal ischemia was induced in the rat by the 3 vessels occlusion technique. In the first experiment 12 ischemic rats received cathodal stimulation (alternating 15min on and 15min off) starting 45min after middle cerebral artery occlusion and lasting 4h. In the second experiment 12 ischemic rats received cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation with the same protocol but starting soon after middle cerebral artery occlusion and lasting 6h. In both experiments controls were 12 ischemic rats not receiving stimulation. Cathodal stimulation reduced the infarct volume in the first experiment by 20% (p=0.002) and in the second by 30% (p=0.003). The area of cerebral infarction was smaller in animals receiving cathodal stimulation in both experiments (p=0.005). Cathodal stimulation reduced the number of depolarizations (p=0.023) and infarct volume correlated with the number of depolarizations (p=0.048). Our findings indicate that cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation exert a neuroprotective effect in the acute phase of stroke possibly decreasing the number of spreading depolarizations. These findings may have translational relevance and open a new avenue in neuroprotection of stroke in humans.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > BioMedical Research (DBMR) > DCR Unit Sahli Building > Forschungsgruppe Neurologie
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurology

UniBE Contributor:

Pace, Marta, Cam, Ertugrul, Bassetti, Claudio L.A.

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

0022-510X

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Valentina Rossetti

Date Deposited:

13 Oct 2014 08:35

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:25

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.jns.2014.05.017

PubMed ID:

24857352

Additional Information:

Notes: Notturno, Francesca
Pace, Marta
Zappasodi, Filippo
Cam, Etrugul
Bassetti, Claudio L
Uncini, Antonino
Netherlands
J Neurol Sci. 2014 Jul 15;342(1-2):146-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2014.05.017. Epub 2014 May 15.
Edition: 2014/05/27
Date: Jul 15

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.54207

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/54207

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