Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37693756›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neurology2023

Effects of simultaneous transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on disorders of consciousness: a study protocol.

Yutong Zhuang, Weihang Zhai, Qinghua Li, Haoyang Jiao, Qianqian Ge, Peijing Rong, Jianghong He

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in neurology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Yutong ZhuangDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Weihang ZhaiInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Qinghua LiCollege of Anesthesiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
Haoyang JiaoInstitute of Documentation, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Qianqian GeDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Peijing RongInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jianghong HeDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Beijing Tian Tan Hospital · CNChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNCapital Medical University · CNShanxi Medical University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques are now widely used in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) for accelerating their recovery of consciousness, especially minimally conscious state (MCS). However, the effectiveness of single NIBS techniques for consciousness rehabilitation needs further improvement. In this regard, we propose to enhance from bottom to top the thalamic-cortical connection by using transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and increase from top to bottom cortical-cortical connections using simultaneous high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to reproduce the network of consciousness. Methods/design: The study will investigate the effect and safety of simultaneous joint stimulation (SJS) of taVNS and HD-tDCS for the recovery of consciousness. We will enroll 84 MCS patients and randomize them into two groups: a single stimulation group (taVNS and HD-tDCS) and a combined stimulation group (SJS and sham stimulation). All patients will undergo a 4-week treatment. The primary outcome will be assessed using the coma recovery scale-revised (CRS-R) at four time points to quantify the effect of treatment: before treatment (T0), after 1 week of treatment (T1), after 2 weeks of treatment (T2), and after 4 weeks of treatment (T3). At the same time, nociception coma scale-revised (NCS-R) and adverse effects (AEs) will be collected to verify the safety of the treatment. The secondary outcome will involve an analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) microstates to assess the response mechanisms of dynamic brain networks to SJS. Additionally, CRS-R and AEs will continue to be obtained for a 3-month follow-up (T4) after the end of the treatment. Discussion: This study protocol aims to innovatively develop a full-time and multi-brain region combined neuromodulation paradigm based on the mesocircuit model to steadily promote consciousness recovery by restoring thalamocortical and cortical-cortical interconnections.

Indexed as

disorders of consciousnessEEG microstatehigh-definition transcranial direct current stimulationsimultaneous stimulationtranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation

Identifiers

PMID37693756
PMCPMC10483839
OpenAlexW4386135493

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.