Turkish Neurosurgery
Therapeutic Effects of tDCS on Calcium and Glutamate Excitotoxicity in a Cerebral Ischemia–Reperfusion Rat Model
Guven AKCAY1, Filiz DEMIRDOGEN2, Dilcan KOTAN3, Tuba GUL4, Ali YILMAZ5, Yusuf Muslum ERGUL6, Cagla CELIK7
1Hitit University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics, Çorum,
2Binali Yıldırım University, Mengücek Gazi Education and Research Hospital, , Department of Neurology, Erzincan,
3Sakarya University, Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurology, Sakarya,
4Ordu University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Ordu,
5Ordu University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ordu,
6Hitti University, Medicine Student, Çorum,
7Hitit University, Vocational School of Health Services, Pharmacy Services Program, Çorum,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.46166-23.6
Aim:Cerebral ischemia causes significant impairments in motor and cognitive functions. This study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on calcium and glutamate excitotoxicity caused by ischemia–reperfusion (IR). Material and Methods:The IR model was generated by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. tDCS treatment was applied at 1 mA for 30 min daily at the 2nd, 24th, and 48th h of IR. The motor and cognitive functions and the concentrations of Ca2+, glutamate, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) in the hippocampus tissues were evaluated.Results:Results showed a reduction in motor and cognitive functions in the IR group compared with that in the sham group, whereas these functions increased in the IR+tDCS group compared with those in the IR group. Ca2+, glutamate, and NMDAR concentrations were higher in the IR group than in the sham group but lower in the IR+tDCS group than in the IR group. Conclusion:These results suggest that tDCS treatment improves motor and cognitive dysfunctions after IR and exerts therapeutic effects on learning and memory through the regulation of Ca2+ and glutamate excitotoxicity.
Corresponding author : Guven AKCAY