TY - JOUR
T1 - Cortical neuromodulation modifies cerebral vasomotor reactivity
AU - Vernieri, Fabrizio
AU - Assenza, Giovanni
AU - Maggio, Paola
AU - Tibuzzi, Francesco
AU - Zappasodi, Filippo
AU - Altamura, Claudia
AU - Corbetto, Marzia
AU - Trotta, Laura
AU - Palazzo, Paola
AU - Ercolani, Matilde
AU - Tecchio, Franca
AU - Rossini, Paolo Maria
PY - 2010/9
Y1 - 2010/9
N2 - Background and Purpose-: Cerebral vasomotor reactivity (VMR) is a capability of cerebral vessels to dilate in response to hypercapnia. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on cerebral hemodynamics have been poorly studied. Methods and Results-: Ten healthy subjects underwent anodal/cathodal tDCS on the left motor cortex. Before and after tDCS, VMR assessment by transcranial Doppler and an electrocardiogram were performed. Normalized low-frequency band power of heart rate variability and its reactivity from basal to VMR condition (LFNreact) were estimated as relative markers of sympathetic activation. tDCS exerted a polarity-specific effect on both VMR (P=0.0001) and LFNreact (P=0.001). Anodal tDCS decreased VMR by 3.4%/mm Hg CO2 bilaterally and increased LFNreact, whereas cathodal tDCS increased VMR by 0.8%/mm Hg CO2 bilaterally and reduced LFNreact. Conclusions-: Cerebral VMR is modified by tDCS. Based on the consensual changes with heart rate variability, we can hypothesize that the sympathetic nervous system could modulate the bihemispheric modification of VMR. Further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
AB - Background and Purpose-: Cerebral vasomotor reactivity (VMR) is a capability of cerebral vessels to dilate in response to hypercapnia. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on cerebral hemodynamics have been poorly studied. Methods and Results-: Ten healthy subjects underwent anodal/cathodal tDCS on the left motor cortex. Before and after tDCS, VMR assessment by transcranial Doppler and an electrocardiogram were performed. Normalized low-frequency band power of heart rate variability and its reactivity from basal to VMR condition (LFNreact) were estimated as relative markers of sympathetic activation. tDCS exerted a polarity-specific effect on both VMR (P=0.0001) and LFNreact (P=0.001). Anodal tDCS decreased VMR by 3.4%/mm Hg CO2 bilaterally and increased LFNreact, whereas cathodal tDCS increased VMR by 0.8%/mm Hg CO2 bilaterally and reduced LFNreact. Conclusions-: Cerebral VMR is modified by tDCS. Based on the consensual changes with heart rate variability, we can hypothesize that the sympathetic nervous system could modulate the bihemispheric modification of VMR. Further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
KW - cerebral hemodynamics
KW - heart rate variability
KW - stroke
KW - transcranial direct current stimulation
KW - transcranial Doppler
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U2 - 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.583088
DO - 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.583088
M3 - Article
C2 - 20671257
AN - SCOPUS:77956408058
VL - 41
SP - 2087
EP - 2090
JO - Stroke
JF - Stroke
SN - 0039-2499
IS - 9
ER -