HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

The thalamus-precentral gyrus functional connectivity changes in epilepsy patients following vagal nerve stimulation.

Abstract
Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective treatment for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who are unsuitable for surgical epilepsy treatment. However, the mechanism of action of VNS remains unclear, and the efficacy of VNS treatment regarding seizure frequency reduction cannot be assessed before surgery. This study measured changes in functional connectivity between thalamus and precentral gyrus which are activated as vital targets of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using resting-state functional MRI to evaluate the effects of VNS. 16 epilepsy patients who underwent VNS were collected and scanned by resting-state functional MRI before and after operation. The functional connections (regions of interest: thalamus, precentral gyrus) were examined. After three months of stimulation, there were eight responders (≥50 % seizure reduction) and eight non-responders to VNS. No significant difference in thalamus-precentral gyrus functional connectivity was found between responders and nonresponders before operation. Enhanced functional connections were observed between bilateral thalamus and bilateral precentral gyrus in responders, which decreased in nonresponders, while functional connections between bilateral thalamus decreased in both responders and nonresponders. Short-term stimulation may cause thalamus-precentral gyrus functional connectivity changes in DRE patients, and control seizures by enhancing functional connections between bilateral thalamus and bilateral precentral gyrus.
AuthorsJin Zhu, Cuiping Xu, Xi Zhang, Liang Qiao, Xueyuan Wang, Xiaohua Zhang, Xiaoming Yan, Duanyu Ni, Tao Yu, Guojun Zhang, Yongjie Li
JournalNeuroscience letters (Neurosci Lett) Vol. 751 Pg. 135815 (04 23 2021) ISSN: 1872-7972 [Electronic] Ireland
PMID33711403 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
CopyrightCopyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Topics
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Connectome
  • Drug Resistant Epilepsy (physiopathology, therapy)
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe (physiopathology)
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Thalamus (physiopathology)
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: