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A small pilot study showed that high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) temporarily increased activity in the cortico-hippocampal network and improved memory in the cognitively older elderly.
Joel Voss, Ph.D., Joel Voss, Ph.D., of Northwestern University in Chicago, and colleagues in the US group, have stimulated noninvasive brain stimulation. Neurology.
"As we age, we are less able to create new memories of life events due to the diminished function of the hippocampus brain network," Voss said. MedPage today. "We demonstrate for the first time that it is possible to improve the function of this network in the elderly by using noninvasive brain stimulation, which saved the memory of the event at the level young adults in our little experience of feasibility. "
High-frequency TMS targeting the cortico-hippocampal network has been shown to improve memory and network function in young adults, but it was unclear whether older adults with structural and functional brain changes with age.
To test this, Voss and his colleagues designed a single-blind experiment controlled by a simulacrum. They studied 15 cognitively normal adults aged 64 to 80 years (on average 72 years), including 11 women, and applied TMS to specific lateral parietal locations depending on the fMRI connectivity of each person with the hippocampus. . Participants performed fMRI memory assessments before and approximately 24 hours after five consecutive daily sessions of total TMS stimulation or sham intensity.
Compared to a sample of younger adults (averaging 26 years old) who performed the same task, older adults exhibited impaired memory, but not recognition, initially.
At 24 hours, the stimulation improved memory by 31.1% on average, compared to a non-significant change of -3.1% for the simulated treatment. The improvements were very uniform in the treatment group and their memory no longer differed significantly from that of younger adults. Stimulation effects on the recollection fMRI refractive signals were consistent throughout the hippocampal cortical network and occurred at the targeted hippocampal location.
Although the memory remained high, it was not significantly different from the simulacrum a week later, indicating that the gains observed at 24 hours did not persist.
The results demonstrate a causal link between memory and the cortico-hippocampal network in the elderly and support the hypothesis that a dysfunction of this network with age could lead to memory impairment, noted Voss.
"The disruption and abnormal functioning of the cortico-hippocampal network, the region of the brain involved in memory formation, has been linked to the decline in aging-related memory, so it's exciting to see that by targeting this region, magnetic stimulation can help improve memory in the elderly, "he said. "These results could help us better understand how this network supports memory."
The study aimed to test the commitment of neural and behavioral targets and not to evaluate clinical efficacy, Voss added. The sample from this pilot study was small and all tests were conducted on the same site. Further work is needed to determine if TMS gives similar results in larger groups of people and whether memory gains can be retained for longer periods.
The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease at Northwestern University.
Voss and his co-authors have revealed no relevant relationship with the industry.
2019-04-17T18: 00: 00-0400
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