2023-12-06 19:00:00
Advances in treatment technology for cranial nerve diseases in the U.S. and China
Traumatic brain injury associated with mental disorders Implanting electrodes in the hypothalamus can improve deep stimulation, attention, problem solving, and judgment Light therapy improves sleep quality in dementia patients Improves cognitive function by passing an electric current to the head
▲ Research results have shown that cognitive function can be improved by implanting electrodes or chips in the brain to stimulate damaged areas, wearing a cap with electrodes to pass weak electricity through the brain without surgery, or stimulating brain cells with light. . Provided by the University of Oregon, USA Neuroscience is one of the fastest-growing research fields in the 21st century. Thanks to this, prevention and diagnosis technologies for various cranial nerve diseases, known as incurable diseases, are emerging one following another.
A joint research team from Cornell University School of Medicine, Harvard University School of Medicine, University of Utah, University of Florida, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Washington in Seattle performed ‘deep brain stimulation’ on the hypothalamus of patients diagnosed with long-term cognitive deficits due to traumatic brain injury (TBI). ‘It was revealed on the 6th that there is an effect of improving cognitive function. The results of this study were published in the December 5th issue of ‘Nature Medicine’, an international medical journal.
TBI refers to damage to the brain caused by a strong external physical force applied to the head. Although there are differences in the area and degree of damage, it is known to have a comprehensive effect on physical functions, cognitive functions such as language, communication, memory, and mental functions such as personality and psychological state.
The research team paid attention to existing research results showing that loss of activity in major brain circuits in the hypothalamus is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Accordingly, the research team conducted an experiment on six men and women aged 22 to 60 years old who suffered from severe traumatic brain injury. First, we used neuroimaging technology to find the exact location of the damaged neural circuit and tested cognitive ability. Then, through surgery, electrodes were implanted in specific areas of the hypothalamus and deep brain stimulation was performed regularly.
As a result of the experiment, it was observed that people who received deep brain stimulation improved attention, problem-solving ability, spatial recognition ability, memory, and judgment by up to 52%.
Meanwhile, a research team from the Department of Nursing at Weifang Medical University in China reported that it is possible to improve sleep and mental function in Alzheimer’s patients by controlling the body’s circadian rhythm by stimulating the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the brain using light, according to a report published by the American Public Library of Science. It was published in the December 7th issue of the international academic journal ‘PLOS One’.
Alzheimer’s disease initially presents with memory problems, followed by abnormalities in various cognitive functions, including language and judgment. It may also be accompanied by abnormal symptoms such as sleep disorders, personality changes, depression, delusions, hallucinations, and increased aggression. Photobiomodulation, which uses light to stimulate the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is involved in sleep regulation, is attracting attention as it will help alleviate Alzheimer’s symptoms, but there has been no systematic evaluation of its efficacy and safety.
Accordingly, the research team conducted a detailed meta-analysis of 15 studies that conducted photobiomodulation clinical trials on Alzheimer’s and dementia patients in 7 countries from 2005 to 2022. As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that light therapy maintains the patients’ circadian rhythm stably and increases sleep efficiency. It was also found that it alleviates symptoms of mental disorders such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder in patients.
Meanwhile, a research team from Ningbo University Medical School in China also published research results showing that ‘transcranial direct current stimulation’ (tDCS) can improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients in the December 6th issue of ‘General Psychiatry’, an international journal published by the British Medical Association. . tDCS is a technology that stimulates brain neurons with a weak electric current by attaching electrodes to the head rather than implanting electrodes in the brain.
The research team randomly selected 140 male and female Alzheimer’s patients aged 65 or older and performed tDCS twice a day, 5 days a week for up to 6 weeks to stimulate the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in decision-making and working memory. As a result, those who received tCDS had notable improvements in language function, word recognition, and memory ability.
Reporter Yoo Yong-ha
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