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Published on: November 9, 2019
820-nm Transcranial near-infrared stimulation on the left DLPFC relieved anxiety: A randomized, double-blind,
Huicong Wang1, Penghui Song1, Yue Hou2
1Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing 100053, China; Center of Epilepsy, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China; Center for sleep and consciousness disorders, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
Objective:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a chronic mood disease associated with abnormal brain network connections, including decreased activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Cortical excitability can be increased with 820-nm transcranial near-infrared stimulation (tNIRS), while transcranial magnetic stimulation with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) can help evaluate time-varying brain network connectivity. A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of tNIRS on the left DLPFC and the impact on time-varying brain network connections in GAD patients.
Methods:
A total of 36 GAD patients were randomized to receive active or sham tNIRS for 2 weeks. Clinical psychological scales were assessed before, after, and at the 2-, 4-, and 8-week follow-ups. TMS-EEG was performed for 20 min before and immediately after tNIRS treatment. The healthy controls did not receive tNIRS and only had TMS-EEG data collected once in the resting state.
Results:
The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) scores of the active stimulation group decreased post-treatment compared with the sham group (P = 0.021). The HAMA scores of the active stimulation group at the 2-, 4-, and 8-week follow-up assessments were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05). The time-varying EEG network pattern showed an information outflow from the left DLPFC and the left posterior temporal region after active treatment.
Conclusion:
Herein, 820-nm tNIRS targeting the left DLPFC had significant positive effects on therapy for GAD that lasted at least 2 months. tNIRS may reverse the abnormality of time-varying brain network connections in GAD.
