Transcranial direct current stimulation treated by multilead brain reflex instrument accelerates neural functional recovery in a rat model of stroke

Abstract

Purpose

Clinical research suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) at bilateral supraorbital foramen and inferior orbital rim and nose intersections may facilitate rehabilitation after stroke. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of tDCS remain poorly understood, impeding its clinical application. Here, we investigated the effect of tDCS applied after stroke on neural cells.

Materials and methods

Middle cerebral arterial occlusion (MCAO) reperfusion was induced in rats. Animals with comparable infarcts were randomly divided into MCAO group and MCAO + tDCS group. Recovery of neurological function was assessed behaviorally by modified neurological severity score (mNSS). Ischemic tissue damage verified histologically by TTC and HE staining. Immunohistochemical staining, real-time qPCR, and western blot were applied to determine the changes of neural cells in ischemic brains.

Results

The results reveal that tDCS treated by multilead brain reflex instrument can promote the recovery of neurological function, remarkably reduce cerebral infarct volume, promote brain tissue rehabilitation, and can effectively inhibit astrocytosis and enhance neuronal survival and synaptic function in ischemic brains.

Conculsions

Our study suggests that tDCS treated by multilead brain reflex instrument could be prospectively developed into a clinical treatment modality.

Keywords:

• Transcranial direct current stimulation
• middle cerebral arterial occlusion
• neurological function
• neuronal survival

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81400064) and SZU R/D Fund (2016075).