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Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments

Hypoxic conditions at high altitudes severely affect cognitive functions such as vigilance, attention, and memory and reduce cognitive ability. Hence, there is a critical need to investigate methods and associated mechanisms for improving the cognitive ability of workers at high altitudes. This stud...

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Autores principales: Dalong, Guo, Yufei, Qin, Lei, Yang, Pengfei, Li, Anqi, Ye, Zichuan, Guo, Cong, Wang, Yubin, Zhou
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9462417/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36090294
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.955096
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author Dalong, Guo
Yufei, Qin
Lei, Yang
Pengfei, Li
Anqi, Ye
Zichuan, Guo
Cong, Wang
Yubin, Zhou
author_facet Dalong, Guo
Yufei, Qin
Lei, Yang
Pengfei, Li
Anqi, Ye
Zichuan, Guo
Cong, Wang
Yubin, Zhou
author_sort Dalong, Guo
collection PubMed
description Hypoxic conditions at high altitudes severely affect cognitive functions such as vigilance, attention, and memory and reduce cognitive ability. Hence, there is a critical need to investigate methods and associated mechanisms for improving the cognitive ability of workers at high altitudes. This study aimed to use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to modulate thalamic network functional connectivity to enhance cognitive ability. We recruited 20 healthy participants that underwent hypoxia exposure in a hypoxic chamber at atmospheric pressure to simulate a hypoxic environment at 4,000 m. Participants received both sham and real stimulation. tDCS significantly improved the participants’ emotional status, including depression, fatigue, and energy level. These effects were sustained for more than 6 h (P < 0.05 at the second to fifth measurements). In addition, tDCS enhanced vigilance, but this was only effective within 2 h (P < 0.05 at the second and third measurements). Central fatigue was significantly ameliorated, and cerebral blood oxygen saturation was increased within 4 h (P < 0.05 at the second, third, and fourth measurements). Furthermore, functional connectivity results using the thalamus as a seed revealed enhanced connectivity between the thalamus and hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, and amygdala after tDCS. These results indicated that tDCS increased local cerebral blood oxygen saturation and enhanced thalamic network connectivity in a hypoxic environment, thereby improving vigilance, depression, fatigue, and energy levels. These findings suggest that tDCS may partially rescue the cognitive decline caused by hypoxia within a short period. This approach affords a safe and effective cognitive enhancement method for all types of high-altitude workers with a large mental load.
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spelling pubmed-94624172022-09-10 Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments Dalong, Guo Yufei, Qin Lei, Yang Pengfei, Li Anqi, Ye Zichuan, Guo Cong, Wang Yubin, Zhou Front Neurosci Neuroscience Hypoxic conditions at high altitudes severely affect cognitive functions such as vigilance, attention, and memory and reduce cognitive ability. Hence, there is a critical need to investigate methods and associated mechanisms for improving the cognitive ability of workers at high altitudes. This study aimed to use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to modulate thalamic network functional connectivity to enhance cognitive ability. We recruited 20 healthy participants that underwent hypoxia exposure in a hypoxic chamber at atmospheric pressure to simulate a hypoxic environment at 4,000 m. Participants received both sham and real stimulation. tDCS significantly improved the participants’ emotional status, including depression, fatigue, and energy level. These effects were sustained for more than 6 h (P < 0.05 at the second to fifth measurements). In addition, tDCS enhanced vigilance, but this was only effective within 2 h (P < 0.05 at the second and third measurements). Central fatigue was significantly ameliorated, and cerebral blood oxygen saturation was increased within 4 h (P < 0.05 at the second, third, and fourth measurements). Furthermore, functional connectivity results using the thalamus as a seed revealed enhanced connectivity between the thalamus and hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, and amygdala after tDCS. These results indicated that tDCS increased local cerebral blood oxygen saturation and enhanced thalamic network connectivity in a hypoxic environment, thereby improving vigilance, depression, fatigue, and energy levels. These findings suggest that tDCS may partially rescue the cognitive decline caused by hypoxia within a short period. This approach affords a safe and effective cognitive enhancement method for all types of high-altitude workers with a large mental load. Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-08-25 /pmc/articles/PMC9462417/ /pubmed/36090294 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.955096 Text en Copyright © 2022 Dalong, Yufei, Lei, Pengfei, Anqi, Zichuan, Cong and Yubin. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Dalong, Guo
Yufei, Qin
Lei, Yang
Pengfei, Li
Anqi, Ye
Zichuan, Guo
Cong, Wang
Yubin, Zhou
Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
title Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
title_full Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
title_fullStr Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
title_full_unstemmed Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
title_short Modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
title_sort modulation of thalamic network connectivity using transcranial direct current stimulation based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to improve hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments
topic Neuroscience
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9462417/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36090294
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.955096
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