Cathodal TDCS Exerts Neuroprotective Effect in Rat Brain After Acute Ischemic Stroke

Overview

Journal BMC Neurosci

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Neurology

Date 2020 May 14

PMID 32397959

Citations 31

Authors

Ke-Ying Zhang

Gang Rui

Jun-Ping Zhang

Ling Guo

Guang-Zhou An

Jia-Jin Lin

Wei He

Gui-Rong Ding

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain modulation technique that has been proved to exert beneficial effects in the acute phase of stroke. To explore the underlying mechanism, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of cathodal tDCS on brain injury caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

Results: We established the MCAO model and sham MCAO model with an epicranial electrode implanted adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, and then they were randomly divided into four groups (MCAO + tDCS, MCAO + sham tDCS (Sham), Control + tDCS and Control + Sham group). In this study, the severity degree of neurological deficit, the morphology of brain damage, the apoptosis, the level of neuron-specific enolase and inflammatory factors, the activation of glial cells was detected. The results showed that cathodal tDCS significantly improved the level of neurological deficit and the brain morphology, reduced the brain damage area and apoptotic index, and increased the number of Nissl body in MCAO rats, compared with MCAO + Sham group. Meanwhile, the high level of NSE, inflammatory factors, Caspase 3 and Bax/Bcl2 ratio in MCAO rats was reduced by cathodal tDCS. Additionally, cathodal tDCS inhibited the activation of astrocyte and microglia induced by MCAO. No difference was found in two Control groups.

Conclusion: Our results suggested that cathodal tDCS could accelerate the recovery of neurologic deficit and brain damage caused by MCAO. The inhibition of neuroinflammation and apoptosis resulted from cathodal tDCS may be involved in the neuroprotective process.

Citing Articles

Dual-tDCS Ameliorates Cerebral Injury and Promotes Motor Function Recovery via cGAS-STING Signaling Pathway in a Rat Model of Ischemic Stroke.

Huang J, Bao C, Yang C, Qu Y Mol Neurobiol. 2024; 62(4):4484-4498.

PMID: 39455539 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04574-x.

The Impact of Stimulation Parameters on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Chronic Stroke Patients Following Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation-A Pilot Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind Crossover Trial.

Correa F, Uehara L, de Andrade M, Silva G, De Angelis K, Viana A Biomedicines. 2024; 12(9).

PMID: 39335512 PMC: 11428280. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12091998.

Molecular Changes in the Ischemic Brain as Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Targets-TMS and tDCS Mechanisms, Therapeutic Challenges, and Combination Therapies.

Markowska A, Tarnacka B Biomedicines. 2024; 12(7).

PMID: 39062133 PMC: 11274560. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071560.

Brain complexity in stroke recovery after bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation in mice.

Miraglia F, Pappalettera C, Barbati S, Podda M, Grassi C, Rossini P Brain Commun. 2024; 6(3):fcae137.

PMID: 38741663 PMC: 11089417. DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae137.

Mechanisms of electrical stimulation in eye diseases: A narrative review.

Liu J, Ma A, So K, Lee V, Chiu K Adv Ophthalmol Pract Res. 2023; 2(2):100060.

PMID: 37846384 PMC: 10577855. DOI: 10.1016/j.aopr.2022.100060.

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