Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Enhancement Through Task-Specific Exercises and Transcranial Simulation: A Randomised Pilot Controlled Study in Stroke Survivors

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Vol. 19 No. 2, 2024

Original article

Author

MUHAMMAD UMAR A, SHARIFUDIN MA, RAJ NB, AHMAD AA

Abstrak

Kajian rintis ini bertujuan untuk menilai kesan rehabilitasi selama 4 minggu yang melibatkan latihan tugasan khusus (TSE), stimulasi arus terus transkranial (tDCS), dan gabungannya terhadap peningkatan aras faktor neurotropik yang berasal dari otak (BDNF) dalam kalangan penghidap strok ambulatori. Sejumlah 60 pesakit strok ambulatori telah dibahagikan secara rawak kepada empat kumpulan intervensi; (i) fisioterapi intervensi kawalan (CIP); (ii) gabungan TSE, tDCS, dan CIP; (iii) TSE dan CIP; dan (iv) tDCS dan CIP. Tahap serum BDNF dinilai menggunakan kit Quantikine ELISA. Perbezaan yang signifikan secara statistik dalam tahap serum BDNF diperolehi di antara kumpulan-kumpulan tersebut (F=58.04, p=0.001). Analisis post-hoc Bonferroni menunjukkan tiada perbezaan yang signifikan dalam tahap serum BDNF antara kumpulan kawalan dan TSE + CIP (p=1.000). Perbezaan yang signifikan secara statistik dalam serum BDNF dilaporkan antara kumpulan kawalan, tDCS + CIP, dan TSE + tDCS + CIP pada p<0.001. Kajian rintis ini menunjukkan kesan yang ketara intervensi terhadap tahap serum BDNF dalam pesakit strok. Gabungan TSE, tDCS, dan CIP menunjukkan keberkesanan dalam meningkatkan tahap BDNF pesakit. Tiada perbezaan yang signifikan dalam tahap BDNF dapat dikenalpasti antara kumpulan kawalan dan TSE + CIP. Penemuan ini memberikan harapan untuk memperhalusi strategi penyelidikan dan rehabilitasi dalam pesakit strok untuk mendorong neuroplastisiti berkaitan BDNF.

Kata kunci

Faktor pertumbuhan neurotropik; kajian rintis; korteks motor utama, peningkatan neuroplastisiti; rehabilitasi strok; serangan cerebrovascular

Abstract

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of four-week rehabilitation regimens involving task-specific exercises (TSE), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and their combination on enhancing serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in ambulatory stroke survivors. A total of 60 ambulatory stroke patients were randomly assigned to four intervention groups: (i) control intervention physiotherapy (CIP); (ii) combination of TSE, tDCS, and CIP; (iii) TSE and CIP; and (iv) tDCS and CIP. Serum BDNF levels were assessed using a Quantikine ELISA kit. A statistically significant variance in serum BDNF levels was observed among the groups (F=58.04, p=0.001). Bonferroni’s post-hoc analysis revealed no significant difference in serum BDNF levels between the control and TSE+CIP groups (p=1.000). A statistically significant difference in serum BDNF was reported between the control, tDCS+CIP group, and TSE + tDCS + CIP group at p<0.001. The pilot study underscores the considerable influence of interventions on serum BDNF levels in stroke survivors. The combined regimen of TSE, tDCS, and CIP demonstrated efficacy in enhancing patients’ BDNF levels. No significant difference in BDNF levels was discerned between the control and TSE+CIP groups. These findings hold promise for refining research and rehabilitation strategies in stroke patients to promote BDNF-related neuroplasticity.