Brain stimulation effectiveness tied to learning ability, not age November 27, 2024 Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne A study reveals that the effectiveness of brain stimulation on motor skills is determined by an individual's learning ability rather than age, highlighting the need for a more personalized approach to neurorehabilitation. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email As we age, our cognitive and motor functions deteriorate, which in turn affects our independence and overall quality of life. Research efforts to ameliorate or even completely abolish this have given rise to technologies that show a lot of promise. Among these is non-invasive brain stimulation: a term encompassing a set of techniques that can affect brain functions externally and noninvasively, without the need for surgery or implants. One such promising technique, in particular, is anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (atDCS), which uses a constant, low electrical current delivered via electrodes on the scalp to modulate neuronal activity. However, studies exploring atDCS have produced inconsistent results, which has prompted researchers to explore why some people benefit from atDCS while others don't. The problem seems to lie in our understanding of factors that may influence responsiveness to brain stimulation, leading to responders and non-responders; among these, age has been suggested as one important factor. Some studies suggest further factors such as baseline behavioral abilities and previous training might be important considerations, but an interplay of these factors with behavior has not been determined in detail, pointing to the need of refined predictive models of the effects of atDCS. Now, scientists led by Friedhelm Hummel at EPFL have identified an important factor affecting an individual's responsiveness to atDCS. The team looked at how native learning abilities determine the effect of brain stimulation applied while learning a motor task. Their findings suggests that individuals with less efficient learning mechanisms benefit more from stimulation, while those with optimal learning strategies might experience negative effects. The researchers recruited 40 participants: 20 middle-aged adults (50-65 years old) and 20 older adults (over 65). Each group was further divided into those receiving active atDCS and those receiving placebo stimulation. Over ten days, participants practiced a finger-tapping task designed to study motor sequence learning at home while receiving atDCS. The task involved replicating a numerical sequence using a keypad, trying to be as fast and as accurate as possible. The team then used a machine-learning model trained on a public dataset to classify participants as either "optimal" or "suboptimal" learners, based on their initial performance. This model aimed to predict who would benefit from atDCS, based on their ability to integrate information about the task efficiently early during training The study found that suboptimal learners, who were seemingly less efficient at internalizing the task at the early stages of learning, experienced an accelerated accuracy improvement while performing the task when receiving atDCS. This effect was not limited to people of a certain age (e.g., older adults), with suboptimal learners being found among younger individuals as well. In contrast, participants with optimal learning strategies, regardless of age, even showed a negative trend in performance when receiving atDCS. This difference suggests that brain stimulation is more beneficial for individuals who initially struggle with motor tasks. As such, atDCS seems to possess a restorative rather than an enhancing quality, with important implications for rehabilitation. "By leveraging different methods in Machine learning, we were able to untangle the influence of different factors on the individual effects of brain stimulation," says Pablo Maceira, the study's first author. "This will pave the way to maximize the effects of brain stimulation in individual subjects and patients." The study implies that, in the long run, personalized brain stimulation protocols will be developed to maximize benefits based on an individual's specific needs, rather than a common trait such as age. This approach could lead to more effective brain stimulation-based interventions, targeting specific mechanisms supporting learning, especially in the view of neurorehabilitation, for which the main basis is the re-learning of lost skills due to a brain lesion (e.g., after a stroke or a traumatic brain injury). "In the future, clinicians could apply a more advanced version of our algorithm to determine whether a patient will benefit from a brain stimulation-based therapy, to enhance the effects of neurorehabilitation and personalize treatment," says Hummel. Story Source: Materials provided by Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne . Original written by Nik Papageorgiou. The original text of this story is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :NoneSrinagar, Nov 27: Realme has introduced the GT 7 Pro, a groundbreaking smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, marking a significant milestone in Indian mobile technology. The device boasts an impressive Antutu score of 3 million and features cutting-edge innovations including an AI Underwater Photography mode and NEXT AI system. The smartphone comes with a RealWorld Eco2 Display co-developed with Samsung Display, Sony IMX882 periscope camera, and advanced AI capabilities that transform user experience. It offers powerful performance with 120W SUPERVOOC charging and a 5800mAh battery. Available in Mars Orange and Galaxy Grey, the GT 7 Pro is priced at `56,999 for the 12GB+256GB variant and `62,999 for the 16GB+512GB model. Pre-bookings began on November 18, with the first sale scheduled for November 29 across Amazon.in, offline channels, and Realme’s website.
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Medical experts have stated that empowering communities is essential for driving social health innovations in Nigeria. The experts said this during a one-day workshop with the theme “Dissemination of Indigenous Social Health Innovation and Capacity Building” in Abuja on Wednesday. The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology organised the workshop in collaboration with the Social Innovation in Health Initiative, Nigeria Hub. In her remarks, the former Director of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control, Dr Uche Amazigo, underscored the importance of community involvement in health research, asserting that any research not grounded in community needs is a waste. She said, “The Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) is a pivotal programme that leverages competitive grants and collaborations, such as with a university in Ghana, to provide impactful health solutions at the grassroots level. Over 40 initiatives have emerged in Nigeria, creating a hub for community-based social innovations in child care.” The SIHI Nigeria Hub Team Lead, Obioma Nwaorgu, said the initiative’s approach is to engage various stakeholders including communities, government representatives, and the private sector—to tackle systemic health challenges. Nwaorgu emphasised the importance of crowdsourcing ideas from communities to identify their specific health needs. Related News Evercare Hospital, MDCS promise world-class healthcare Making quality healthcare accessible to rural dwellers Firms partner to cut forex spending on healthcare She said, “Communities have to say what they need. This participatory approach ensures that health interventions are relevant and effective. She noted that the initiative has already recognised three social innovators this year, including Mama’s Pride and Shiktra Maternal Newborn and Child Health Care Foundation, which focus on maternal health and child care. The Permanent Secretary FMIST, Esuabana Asanya, represented by the Director of Planning Research and Policy Analysis, Salamatu Mohammed, said SIHI’s aims are in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the healthcare sector in Nigeria. She added that collaborations between government and other stakeholders have yielded to positive results for the development of the country. She noted that innovation is key to unlocking the world of possibilities, adding that the country must harness its power for nation-building. Mohammed stated that though Nigeria has made strides, access to healthcare, infrastructure, and malnutrition remains a serious challenge in the country, whereby women and children are mostly affected. She noted that the WHO reported that Nigeria accounts for 20 per cent of maternal mortality, adding that inadequate water and insecurity have also impacted negatively the health and well-being of the people.