Effects on Corticospinal Tract Homology of Faremus Personalized Neuromodulation Relieving Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Massimo Bertoli; Angela Tataranni; Susanna Porziani; Patrizio Pasqualetti; Eugenia Gianni; Joy Grifoni; Teresa L’Abbate; Karolina Armonaite; Livio Conti; Andrea Cancelli; Carlo Cottone; Franco Marinozzi; Fabiano Bini; Federico Cecconi; Franca Tecchio

doi:10.3390/brainsci13040574

Brain Sciences (Mar 2023)

Effects on Corticospinal Tract Homology of Faremus Personalized Neuromodulation Relieving Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Massimo Bertoli,
Angela Tataranni,
Susanna Porziani,
Patrizio Pasqualetti,
Eugenia Gianni,
Joy Grifoni,
Teresa L’Abbate,
Karolina Armonaite,
Livio Conti,
Andrea Cancelli,
Carlo Cottone,
Franco Marinozzi,
Fabiano Bini,
Federico Cecconi,
Franca Tecchio

Affiliations

Massimo Bertoli: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Angela Tataranni: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Susanna Porziani: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Patrizio Pasqualetti: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Eugenia Gianni: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Joy Grifoni: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Teresa L’Abbate: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Karolina Armonaite: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Livio Conti: Engineering Faculty, International Telematic University Uninettuno, 00186 Rome, Italy
Andrea Cancelli: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Carlo Cottone: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Franco Marinozzi: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Fabiano Bini: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Federico Cecconi: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
Franca Tecchio: Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET’S), Laboratory of Agent-Based Social Simulation (LABSS), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13040574
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 4
p. 574

Abstract

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Objectives: Fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a frequent and invalidating symptom, which can be relieved by non-invasive neuromodulation, which presents only negligible side effects. A 5-day transcranial direct-current stimulation, 15 min per day, anodically targeting the somatosensory representation of the whole body against a larger occipital cathode was efficacious against MS fatigue (fatigue relief in multiple sclerosis, Faremus treatment). The present proof-of-concept study tested the working hypothesis that Faremus S1 neuromodulation modifies the homology of the dominant and non-dominant corticospinal (CST) circuit recruitment. Methods: CST homology was assessed via the Fréchet distance between the morphologies of motor potentials (MEPs) evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation in the homologous left- and right-hand muscles of 10 fatigued MS patients before and after Faremus. Results: In the absence of any change in MEP features either as differences between the two body sides or as an effect of the treatment, Faremus changed in physiological direction the CST’s homology. Faremus effects on homology were more evident than recruitment changes within the dominant and non-dominant sides. Conclusions: The Faremus-related CST changes extend the relevance of the balance between hemispheric homologs to the homology between body sides. With this work, we contribute to the development of new network-sensitive measures that can provide new insights into the mechanisms of neuronal functional patterning underlying relevant symptoms.

Published in Brain Sciences

ISSN: 2076-3425 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/brainsci/

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