A brain mechanism for alleviation of muscle tension with stimulation to the small afferent fibers.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23500622
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health Sciences
• Principal Investigator: YAJIMA Hiroyoshi 東京有明医療大学, 保健医療学部, 講師 (00563412)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAKURA Nobuari 東京有明医療大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (60563400) ; TAKAYAMA Miho 東京有明医療大学, 保健医療学部, 助教 (20563414) ; MASAOKA Yuri 昭和大学, 医学部, 講師 (70398692) ; HOMMA Ikuo 東京有明医療大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (20057079)
• Research Collaborator: KAWASE Akiko 日本鍼灸理療専門学校, 常勤教員 ; KAPTCHUK Ted J. Harvard Medical School, 教授 ; JIAN Kong Harvard Medical School, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 経皮的通電刺激 / 振動刺激 / リハビリテーション / 筋緊張 / 脳 / 運動神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We elicited tonic vibration-induced finger flexion reflex (VFR) in the forearm that is assumed to be artificially produced neuromuscular hyperexcitability by applying vibration to the fingertip to investigate a brain mechanism for mitigating of neuromuscular hyperexcitability with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). We recorded brain activities by electroencephalograph during inducing VFR and inducing VFR with applying painful TENS to the forearm in healthy subjects. Comparing with during VFR without TENS, active brain areas during VFR was reduced with painful TENS. Interestingly, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is assumed to be related to alleviating neuromuscular hyperexcitability, had been activated with painful TENS prior to activation of other brain areas during VFR without TENS. The result indicated one of brain mechanisms to relieve neuromuscular hyperexcitability with painful TENS.

Free Research Field

鍼灸，臨床神経生理学