@article{c8fe4b2b7b68453698b7d60e08ea62b2,
title = "Early transcranial direct current stimulation treatment exerts neuroprotective effects on 6-OHDA-induced Parkinsonism in rats",
abstract = "Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proven to be able to modulate motor cortical plasticity might have potential as an alternative, adjunctive therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the efficacy of tDCS in PD is still uncertain. A disease animal model may be useful to clarify the existence of a treatment effect and to explore an effective therapeutic strategy using tDCS protocols. Objective: The current study was designed to identify the comprehensive therapeutic effects of tDCS in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned PD rats. Methods: Following early and long-term tDCS application (starting 24 h after PD lesion, 300 μA anodal tDCS, 20 min/day, 5 days/week) in awake PD animals for a total of 4 weeks, the effects of tDCS on motor and non-motor behaviors as well as dopaminergic neuron degeneration levels, were identified. Results: We found that the 4-week tDCS intervention significantly alleviated 6-OHDA-induced motor deficits in locomotor activity, akinesia, gait pattern and anxiety-like behavior, but not in apomorphine-induced rotations, recognition memory and depression-like behavior. Immunohistochemically, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra were significantly preserved in the tDCS intervention group. Conclusions: These results suggest that early and long-term tDCS could exert neuroprotective effects and reduce the aggravation of motor dysfunctions in a 6-OHDA-induced PD rat model. Furthermore, this preclinical model may enhance the promising possibility of the potential use of tDCS and serve as a translational platform to further identify the therapeutic mechanism of tDCS for PD or other neurological disorders.",
keywords = "6-OHDA, Neuroprotection, Parkinson's disease, Rat, Transcranial direct current stimulation",
author = "Feng, {Xiao Jun} and Huang, {Yu Ting} and Huang, {Ying Zu} and Kuo, {Chi Wei} and Peng, {Chih Wei} and Alexander Rotenberg and Juan, {Chi Hung} and Pei, {Yu Cheng} and Chen, {Yuan Hao} and Chen, {Kai Yun} and Chiang, {Yung Hsiao} and Liu, {Hui Hua} and Wu, {Jian Xian} and Hsieh, {Tsung Hsun}",
note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (106-2410-H-182-008-MY2 and 108-2314-B-182-011 to T.H. Hsieh and 106-2221-E-182-001 and 108-2314-B-182-015-MY3 to Y.Z. Huang and 108-2639-H-008-001-ASP and 108-2321-B-075-004-MY2 to C.H. Juan), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan ( CMRPD1H0461 and CMRPD1H0462 to T.H. Hsieh and CMRPD1F0501 and CMRPD3H0021 to H.Y. Chen) and Anhui provincial department of education college natural science research project, China ( KJ2016A346 to J.X. Wu). Funding Information: We found that four weeks of tDCS in PD rats led to a reduction in akinesia and locomotor disturbances. These results parallel PD human studies showing a reduction in bradykinesia and locomotor disturbances after tDCS treatment [11,28], encouraging further research into its therapeutic potential. The mechanisms by which tDCS maintain several aspects of motor function in PD are not known. The possible evidence supporting the efficacy of tDCS in PD is related to the release of dopamine caused by tDCS [29?31]. The widespread activation of dopaminergic neuronal systems induced by nodal tDCS may release dopamine and could be the mechanism for preventing or delaying the deterioration of motor dysfunction in PD rats. Furthermore, the mitigation of 6-OHDA-induced impairments evident in our comprehensive behavior evaluations achieved by long-term tDCS intervention further supports such neuroprotective dopaminergic actions.This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (106-2410-H-182-008-MY2 and 108-2314-B-182-011 to T.H. Hsieh and 106-2221-E-182-001 and 108-2314-B-182-015-MY3 to Y.Z. Huang and 108-2639-H-008-001-ASP and 108-2321-B-075-004-MY2 to C.H. Juan), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (CMRPD1H0461 and CMRPD1H0462 to T.H. Hsieh and CMRPD1F0501 and CMRPD3H0021 to H.Y. Chen) and Anhui provincial department of education college natural science research project, China (KJ2016A346 to J.X. Wu). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 The Author(s)",
year = "2020",
month = may,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.brs.2020.02.002",
language = "English",
volume = "13",
pages = "655--663",
journal = "Brain Stimulation",
issn = "1935-861X",
publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",
number = "3",
}