Short term functional changes in brain perfusion and cognitive functioning with the use of non-invasive brain stimulation in patients with cognitive impairment

Authors

  • Lázaro Gómez Fernández Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica. La Habana
  • Hermis Vega Treto Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Quirúrgicas (CIMEQ). La Habana
  • Sheila Berrillo Batista Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica. La Habana
  • Zayli Hernández Figueroa Clínica de 43. La Habana
  • Lilia Morales Chacón Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica. La Habana
  • Nelson Rodríguez Mesa Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Quirúrgicas (CIMEQ). La Habana
  • Raúl Valdés Sedeño Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Quirúrgicas (CIMEQ). La Habana
  • Karla Batista García-Ramos Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica. La Habana

Keywords:

cognitive impairment, transcranial direct, current stimulation, brain perfusion

Abstract

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is a challenge for contemporary neurosciences. With the development of neuromodulation, there have been described interesting results that point out the possibility of improving cognitive functions in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Here, we described the neuromodulatory effect of tDCS in three patients with MCI.

Methods: We studied three patients with diagnostic of MCI, who were examined by means of Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale, cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), an electroencephalogram, and a Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPECT). They were examined before and a few days after completing 20 sessions of tDCS over frontal areas. Anode was located over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and cathode over right frontopolar region. Stimulation intensity was set at 2 mA, in 20 minutes sessions.

Results: We observed a tendency towards a decrease in total ADAS-Cog score; especially in items: word recalls, object and finger denomination, ideatory praxis and orientation. We identified an increase in brain perfussion in superior, median and inferior left frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus(bilateral), cingular gyrus, and right putamen, insular cortex and thalamus.

Conclusions: The use of tDCS in MCI patients was associated with favourable changes in some items from ADAS-Cog, and an increase in brain perfusion in a few cortical and subcortical structures.

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Published

2022-07-26

How to Cite

1.
Gómez Fernández L, Vega Treto H, Berrillo Batista S, Hernández Figueroa Z, Morales Chacón L, Rodríguez Mesa N, et al. Short term functional changes in brain perfusion and cognitive functioning with the use of non-invasive brain stimulation in patients with cognitive impairment. Invest Medicoquir [Internet]. 2022 Jul. 26 [cited 2025 Dec. 8];14(2):e769. Available from: https://revcimeq.sld.cu/index.php/imq/article/view/769

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2022): July-December

Section

Research article

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