Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High frequency brain stimulation changes dopamine in healthy beagles
By Xu, Yangfeng et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Department of Head and Skin·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Accelerated high frequency rTMS induces time-dependent dopaminergic alterations: a DaTSCAN brain imaging study in healthy beagle dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy beagle dogs underwent a new treatment called accelerated high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (aHF-rTMS) to see how it affects their brain's dopamine system, which is important for mood and behavior. After five sessions in one day, researchers found that the treatment significantly changed the dopamine transporter levels in the dogs' brains, with effects lasting up to a month. While there were no changes in other brain chemicals, this study suggests that aHF-rTMS could be a promising option for treating behavioral issues in dogs.
People also search for: beagle behavior problems treatment · dog dopamine system · aHF-rTMS for dogs
Abstract
AIM: The neurobiological effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are believed to run in part through the dopaminergic system. Accelerated high frequency rTMS (aHF-rTMS), a new form of stimuli delivery, is currently being tested for its usefulness in treating human and canine mental disorders. However, the short-and long-term neurobiological effects are still unclear, including the effects on the dopaminergic system. In aHF-rTMS, multiple sessions are delivered within 1 day instead of one session per day, not only to accelerate the time to response but also to increase clinical efficacy. To gain more insight into the neurobiology of aHF-rTMS, we investigated whether applying five sessions in 1 day has direct and/or delayed effects on the dopamine transporter (DAT), and on dopamine metabolites of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in beagles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen beagles were randomly divided into two groups: five active stimulation sessions ( = 9), and 5 sham stimulation sessions ( = 4). Using DaTSCAN, DAT binding indices (BI) were obtained at baseline, after 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months post stimulation. CSF samples were collected after each scan. RESULTS: Active aHF-rTMS significantly reduced striatal DAT BI 1 day post-active stimulation session ( < 0.01), and the effect lasted to 1 month ( < 0.01). No significant DAT BI change was found in sham group. No significant changes in dopamine metabolites of CSF were found. CONCLUSION: Although no significant effects on CSF dopamine metabolites were observed, five sessions of active aHF-rTMS significantly decreased striatal DAT BI after 1 day and up to 1 month post stimulation, indicating immediate and delayed effects on the brain dopaminergic system. Our findings in healthy beagles further substantiate the assumption that (a)HF-rTMS affects the brain dopaminergic system and it may pave the way to apply (a)HF-rTMS treatment in behaviorally disturbed dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37261109/