Functional and histologic changes after repeated transcranial direct current stimulation in rat stroke model.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates NMDA receptor activity and cortical blood flow.
• Cerebrovascular injury can lead to functional and histological brain changes.
• Understanding tDCS effects in stroke models is crucial for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on functional recovery and histological changes in a rat stroke model.
• To compare the efficacy of anodal tDCS, cathodal tDCS, and exercise interventions.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-one Sprague-Dawley rats with induced cerebrovascular injury were used.
• Survivors were divided into exercise, anodal tDCS, cathodal tDCS, and control groups for 2-week treatment.
• Motor function was assessed using Garcia, modified foot fault, and rota-rod tests.
• Histological analysis included white matter axon evaluation and infarct volume measurement.

Main Results:

• Anodal tDCS and exercise groups demonstrated significant improvements in motor function scores at 16 days post-operation.
• No significant changes in infarct volume were observed across groups.
• The anodal tDCS group exhibited better preservation of neuronal axons in the internal capsule of the affected hemisphere.

Conclusions:

• Repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), particularly anodal stimulation, may exert a neuroprotective effect on neuronal axons in a rat stroke model.
• tDCS shows potential as an adjunctive therapy for stroke recovery by preserving neural tissue.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms of tDCS neuroprotection in stroke.