Translingual Neurostimulation in Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy in the Late Residual Stage. Case Study

Translingual Neurostimulation for Peripheral Motor Control Recovery Post in-Patient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Focus Article

“…For each task related to the physical therapy, fMRI revealed neurostimulation elicited increased brain activation patterns related to the task compared to without the additional stimulation (Figure 7). These findings suggest CN-NINM facilitates increased brain activity related to a task allowing for more 'efficient learning' of motor function and skills [16].…”

“…The synthesised concept of CN-NINM was developed by Yuri Danilov, Mitchell Taylor and Kurt Kaczmarek [11]. Translingual (tongue) Neurostimulation (TLNS) is the route utilised via CN-NINM to induce cranial nerve stimulation and which has been suggested as a potential 'gateway' to neural excitability and motor skill learning [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. CN-NINM is multi-level rehabilitation therapy that initiates neuroplasticity through a combination of TLNS with physical therapy in the recovery of suppressed brain functions affected by neurological injury [8].…”

“…Recent evidence has investigated objective measures supporting this theory [16,18]. High-density electroencephalography (EEG) was utilised to measure changes in resting brain activity before, during, and after high and low frequency TLNS using the PoNS TM device [18].…”

“…Research in the treatment of spasticity further supports the theory of neuroplasticity induced by TLNS [16]. Spasticity is defined as a "motor disorder characterised by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes" [31].…”

“…The authors hypothesise the central lesion leads to hypersensitivity following denervation leading to spasticity, which stimulates the creation of new abnormal pathways maintaining spasticity [32,33]. As neuroplastic changes are suggested to occur to maintain spasticity, neuroplastic changes can also be facilitated to treat the condition [16]. The authors examined TLNS in the treatment of six children with Cerebral Palsy in the form of spastic diplegia.…”