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An rs-fMRI study of taVNS with different frequency for mild cognitive impairment

Poster No:

255

Submission Type:

Late-Breaking Abstract Submission

Authors:

Chen Qingyan¹, Jiliang Fang²

Institutions:

¹Guang’anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, Beijing, ²Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China

First Author:

Chen Qingyan
Guang’anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
Beijing, Beijing

Co-Author:

Jiliang Fang
Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
Beijing, China

Introduction:

The team's previous studies have confirmed that 24 weeks of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in Dense-sparse wave 20Hz is effective for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), while the brain mechanism and whether there is a more effective frequency of stimulation is not much clear. We wanted to explore whether different frequencies of taVNS have different efficacy and brain mechanisms.

Methods:

46 patients with MCI were enrolled, which be randomly assigned to Group 4Hz (25) and Group 20Hz (21). Both groups received taVNS treatment (Dense-sparse waves, different frequency patterns only) for 24 weeks respectively. A total of 26 healthy controls (HCs) matched with their sex, age and education level were included for observation (no treatment was given). Patients in both groups underwent Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans and cognitive behavior scale assessment before and after treatment, while the HCs only once. The primary outcome was the Montreal cognitive assessment-basic, MOCA-B. The secondary outcomes included auditory verbal learning test-HuaShan version (AVLT-H), shape trails test A&B (STT-A&B), animal fluence test (AFT), Boston naming test (BNT) and functional activities questionnaire (FAQ). One-way ANOVA compared regional homogeneity (ReHo) values among the Group 4Hz, Group 20Hz and HCs groups, while mixed-effects analysis evaluated ReHo changes within the MCI groups pre- and post-treatment.

Results:

Compared with before treatment, scores of MoCA-B, AVLT-H sub-indexes N5 & N7, and BNT of the two groups were significantly increased after treatment, and the differences were statistically significant; while FAQ scores and STTA&B time were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant. As for AFT scores, there was a significant increase in group 4Hz scores after treatment while there was no significant difference in group 20Hz. However, there was no statistically significant difference between group 4Hz and group 20Hz in the change of all scale scores after treatment.The fMRI results showed that the group 4Hz and the group 20Hz had significantly decreased ReHo in the left insula compared with the HCs. Mixed-effect analysis results showed that the right insula were the different brain region between the group 4Hz and the group 20Hz before and after treatment. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant increase in the right insular ReHo value in the group 4Hz after treatment, whereas no significant change was observed in the group 20Hz.

Conclusions:

Both 4Hz and 20Hz of taVNS improved cognitive function in patients with MCI. Insula, as an abnormal brain region in MCI, showed a difference in its changes after taVNS treatment in the group 4Hz , which may be the underlying brain mechanism difference between the 4Hz and 20Hz of taVNS in the treatment of MCI.

Brain Stimulation:

Non-Invasive Stimulation Methods Other ²

Disorders of the Nervous System:

Neurodegenerative/ Late Life (eg. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s) ¹

Learning and Memory:

Long-Term Memory (Episodic and Semantic)

Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:

BOLD fMRI

Keywords:

FUNCTIONAL MRI

Other - Mild cognitive impairment; Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS); stimulation frequencies; Regional homogeneity

^1|2Indicates the priority used for review

Abstract Information

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Please indicate below if your study was a "resting state" or "task-activation” study.

Resting state

Healthy subjects only or patients (note that patient studies may also involve healthy subjects):

Patients

Was this research conducted in the United States?

Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel? NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.

Yes

Were any animal research approved by the relevant IACUC or other animal research panel? NOTE: Any animal studies without IACUC approval will be automatically rejected.

Not applicable

Please indicate which methods were used in your research:

Functional MRI

Neuropsychological testing

For human MRI, what field strength scanner do you use?

3.0T

Which processing packages did you use for your study?

Other, Please list - DPARSF

Provide references using APA citation style.

Wang, L. (2022). The efficacy and safety of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A double blinded randomized clinical trial. Brain stimulation, 15(6), 1405–1414.

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