Summary: Low-field magnetic stimulation (LFMS), a new, non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation technique, may help improve neurological symptoms following concussion.
Source: University of Saskatchewan
Concussion symptoms–such as loss of balance, hazy comprehension, sleep disturbance and ability to walk straight–can be reversed by a new type of magnetic stimulation, research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) shows.
Magnetic stimulation using a laptop-style device for 20 minutes per day improved the ability of rodents with a concussion to walk in a straight line, navigate a maze, run on a wheel, and perform cognitive tests, according to research published in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
“Concussion is a major health concern affecting all sections of society from children whose brain is still developing to older people suffering falls,” said Professor Changiz Taghibiglou, who led the research. “The beauty of this therapy is not only that it is effective, but that it is non-invasive, easy to use and cost-effective.”
The USask team also found evidence that Low-Frequency Magnetic Stimulation could potentially protect the brain from future degeneration, a risk following serious concussions.
Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major public health concern and can be caused by sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, falls and other head trauma.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 10 million people per year are affected by a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In Canada, 160,000 people suffer from brain injuries annually, with over 1.5 million Canadians living with the consequences. Income lost from disabilities related to brain injuries in Canada is predicted to rise from $7.3billion to $8.2 billion between 2011 and 2031.
Concussion can also cause severe headaches and hamper a person’s ability to think straight and perform day-to-day tasks.
Within four days of treatment, rodents with repeated concussion had their ability to perform a variety of cognition and motor tests restored to almost normal levels. Their body clocks, governing sleep patterns, which can be thrown out of sync by concussion, were also restored to their normal function.
In the next stages of the research program, the USask team plans to conduct longer-term tests on rodents, followed by human trials.
The mice were exposed to low levels of magnetic stimulation, which mimic the way brain waves oscillate.
Mice with concussion that had not been treated were unable to perform the behavioral and neurological tasks, which included running on a wheel without falling off.
Taghibiglou also found that certain proteins, which are important to protect the brain from various neurological conditions, were restored to their normal level by the low-frequency magnetic stimulation. The proteins protect neurons and halt the progression of post-concussion inflammation and neurodegeneration.
Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of brain injuries as their brains are still developing into their early 20s.
“Traumatic brain injury is a clinical condition that poses significant challenges to patients, families and health professionals,” said Dr. Yanbo Zhang (M.D), professor of psychiatry in USask’s College of Medicine, and co-author of the paper.
“Patients can suffer long-lasting cognitive impairments, emotional and behavioural changes. Currently, we do not have effective treatment to improve cognitive impairment. Low-frequency magnetic stimulation provides a novel option for concussion treatment. It is portable, non-invasive and affordable.”
Funding: The brain injury research was funded by Canada’s Department of National Defence, the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and the College of Medicine ComRAD fund.
Source:
University of Saskatchewan
Media Contacts:
Jennifer Thoma – University of Saskatchewan
Image Source:
The image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Closed access
“Low Field Magnetic Stimulation Restores Cognitive and Motor Functions in the Mouse Model of Repeated Traumatic Brain Injury: Role of Cellular Prion Protein”. Dr. Sathiya SekarDr. Yanbo ZhangMs. Hajar Miranzadeh MahabadiMr. Amirhassan ParviziDr. Changiz Taghibiglou.
Journal of Neurotrauma. doi:10.1089/neu.2018.5918
Abstract
Low Field Magnetic Stimulation Restores Cognitive and Motor Functions in the Mouse Model of Repeated Traumatic Brain Injury: Role of Cellular Prion Protein
Traumatic brain injury/concussion (TBI) is a growing epidemic throughout the world. Memory and neurobehavioral dysfunctions are among the sequelae of TBI. Dislodgement of cellular prion protein (PrPc) and disruption of circadian rhythm have been linked to TBI. Low-field magnetic stimulation (LFMS) is a new non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) technique that generates diffused and low-intensity magnetic stimulation to deep cortical and subcortical areas. The role of LFMS on PrPc, proteins related to the circadian rhythm, and behavior alterations in a repeated TBI mouse model were studied in the present study. TBI was induced to the mice (right hemisphere) using weight-drop method, once daily for 3 days. LFMS treatment was given for 20 min, once daily for 4 days (immediately after each TBI induction). The results showed that LFMS-treated TBI mice significantly improved cognitive and motor function as evidenced by open field exploration, rota rod, and novel location recognition tasks. In addition, a significant increase in PrPc and decreased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels were observed in cortical and hippocampal regions of LFMS treated TBI mice brain compared to sham-treated TBI mice, whilst NeuN level was significantly increased in cortical region. In LFMS treated mice, a decrease in proteins related to circadian rhythm were observed, compared to sham-treated TBI mice. The results obtained from the study demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of LFMS, which may be through regulating PrPc and/or proteins related to circadian rhythm. Thus, the present study suggests that LFMS may improve the subject’s neurological condition following TBI.
