• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.11-16
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• 2018

Purpose: Stress tends to cause sympathetic hyperactivity and increase blood cortisol levels. The vagus nerve is a parasympathetic nerve that is involved in relaxing the body. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve on stress hormone (cortisol) levels and heart rate variability (HRV) in humans. Methods: A total of 10 healthy subjects participated in the pilot experiment. All subjects underwent electrical vagus nerve stimulation for 20 minutes in the cymba conchae of the left ear. An electro cardiogram meter was used to measure HRV. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for cortisol levels. The standard deviation of all normal N-N intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), low frequency, high frequency, and cortisol levels were compared in pre and post mean values after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon's signed-rank test. Results: Coritsol levels were observed to decrease after vagus nerve electrical stimulation. The mean SDNN and RMSSD values were increased after the intervention, but not significantly. Conclusion: Vagus nerve electrical stimulation has been shown to increase the ability of the parasympathetic nerve to adapt to upward regulation and stress. Vagus nerve electrical stimulation could thus be an effective treatment for modern social psychological stress control.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1051-1058
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the improvement effect of obesity by treatment with a developed low frequency electrical stimulation system. Thirty female in their 20's as an experiment subjects divided 3 groups(control, commercialized device, developed device) were treated with electrical stimulation on abdomen for 4 weeks. The body weight, body mass index(BMI), waist-hip ratio(WHR), muscle strength, muscle(transverse abdominis(TrA), internal obliquus abdominis(IO), external obliquus abdominis(EO)), fat thickness and abdominal surface temperature were measured by electromyogram(EMG), ultrasound and digital infrared thermal image(DITI). In the result, the body weight and BMI were decreased. Subcutaneous abdominal fat were significantly reduced after 4 weeks. The muscle strength and TrA muscle thickness was increased 13.2%(p<0.05), and 35.5%, respectively. The fat thickness showed decrease in abdomen (p<0.05). Infrared measurement on abdominal surface temperature as a parameter of improvement in blood circulation was significantly increased(p<0.05). Therefore, the low frequency stimulation showed positive effects on parameters of the obesity improvement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different frequencies (4Hz and 100Hz) of transcutaneous electrical nerve simulation (TENS) on pain relief using c-fos expression in the spinal cord of rat osteoarthritis to investigate the appropriate frequency for pain relief. METHODS: Total of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats was used and randomly divided 2 groups according TENS frequency and applicate the TENS during 3 period (3 days, 7 days, 10 days). The induction of osteoarthritis by 3mg monosodium iodoacetat was injected into the right knee joint of rats. Three days later, commercially available TENS unit was used for stimulation was set to 20minutes on 3, 7, 10 days after surgery. Western blot analysis system was used to detect immunoreactive proteins. The thickness of the bands were photographically measured by Scion Image. RESULTS: When investigating the c-fos expression of TENS on spinal cord in OA knee over 10 days, between-groups differences in c-fos expression reached a significant level by day 10. For within-groups comparisons, the c-fos expression decreased significantly across days in low- and high-frequency TENS groups. CONCLUSION: Whether at low- and high-frequency, the TENS as a therapy obtained beneficial effects of pain relief and TNES at high-frequency is more beneficial effects on the pain relief when TENS applied at injury site.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.845-850
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• 2015

This study was designed to investigate the feasibility of utilizing an adaptation for selective elicitation of tactile sensations by means of transcutaneous electrical stimulation. We conducted the first experiment to investigate how the stimulation frequency affected the adaptation. Twenty healthy subjects participated in the second experiment to confirm our proposal that the perception intensity of the low-frequency vibration can be enhanced after a high-frequency adaptation, and vice versa. It was found that (1) a low-frequency stimulation did not adapt the nerve afferents responsible for the high-frequency vibration, (2) a high-frequency stimulation affected the nerve afferents responsible for the low-frequency vibration, but adapted to the pressure sensation more intensely, and (3) more than 62% of the subjects reported a more clear selective sensation after the adaptation had lessened or depressed the unwanted sensation. The observations showed that adaptation of the nerve afferent could be utilized for selective elicitation of tactile sensations.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.361-370
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• 2012

The Purpose of this study was to find out the effects of frequency and intensity of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) on the patients with chronic low back pain. The subjects were 32 patients with chronic low back pain average age 39.19 (${\pm}12.96$)years. The duration of chronic low back pain was 8.57 (${\pm}3.07$)months. The treatments were given 15 minutes once a day five a week for two weeks. to low back. Lumbar range of motion(ROM) and Oswestry Disabilitv Index(ODI)) was evaluated before and after TENS application. Each group was compared using Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test. The results were as followings: Each group showed significant effect. High intensity group showed more effect in low frequency group. High intensity group showed more effect in high frequency group. Therefore, the high intensity can be used more effectively with high frequency for treating chronic low back pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.273-280
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the pre-application effect of low frequency electrical stimulation(LFES) on VEGF expression of atrophic muscle and to determine the optimal pre-application period of LFES for prevent muscle atropy Methods : Twenty-five adult sprague-dawley rats were randomly assigned to weight bearing group, hindlimb suspension for 14 days group, hindlimb suspension with pre-application of LFES for 14 days group, hindlimb suspension with pre-application of LFES for 11 dsys group and, hindlimb suspension with pre-application LFES for 7 dsys group. 16Hz of Biphasic pulse current was applied to gastrocnemius for 15min per days. Results : VEGF were decreased expression in HSG groups, whereas VEGF were significantly increased in HS+ES14G, HS+ES11G, HS+ES7G groups Conclusion : LFES during the hindlimb suspension showed a positive effect in VEGF induction and early application is strongly encourage VEGF induction. This indicated that pre-application of LFES could prevent muscle atrophy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2013

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the general effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation of the ankle joint acupuncture points(BL62 and KI6) on the brain waves of elderly women as a pilot study to figure out the possibility of candidate non-invasive and non-chemical stimulation method for the enhancing the brain function. Methods : A randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial was performed in 31 healthy women(mean age, 54.5 years) within a treatment duration of 12 sessions. In the experimental group, low-frequency electrical stimulation was applied using the maximum range of the individual insensible strength(mean current, $0.04{\mu}A$). The control group received sham stimulation. The background electroencephalographic activity was measured before and after the12 sessions. Results : After 12 sessions of stimulation, the relative power of the alpha wave increased(32 of 32 channels: significant difference in 11 channels, p<0.05); the theta(30 of 32 channels: significant difference in 10 channels, p<0.05), beta(31 of 32 channels), and gamma(30 of 32 channels: significant difference in 7 channels, p<0.05) powers were also decreased compared with the sham group. Conclusions : Electrical stimulation on the ankle joint acupuncture points(BL62 and KI6) seemed to stabilize the elderly women brain by inducing the alpha power and reducing beta, theta, and gamma powers. These results provide insight into the action mechanism of the stimulation and can assist the future developement of a non-invasive and non-chemical treatment technique for stressor related cognitive problems.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.70-83
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) on delayed onset muscle soreness(DOMS). Twenty males performed eccentric exercise of the elbow flexor. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) a group ($n_1$=7) that received low frequency TENS (7 Hz), 2) a group ($n_2$=7) that received high frequency TENS (500 Hz), 3) a control group ($n_3$=6) that received no treatment. DOMS was induced in a standardised fashion in the non-dominant elbow flexor of all subjects by repeated eccentric exercise. Treatments were applied immediately following exercise and again at 24 hours and at 48 hours after. Subjects attended on three consecutive days for treatment and measurement of elbow flexion, extension and resting angle(universal goniometer), and pain(Visual Analogue Scale; VAS) on a daily basis. Measurements were taken after treatment. Analysis of results using repeated measures analysis of variance(ANOVA) and post hoc tests were as follows: 1) there were between groups differences in pain value at 48 hours after (p<0.05), 2) one-way ANOVA with repeated measurement for pain, resting angle, flexion angle and extension angle revealed significant differences within low frequency TENS group, 3) one-way ANOVA with repeated measurement for flexion angle revealed significant difference within high frequency TENS group.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.326-332
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• 2017

The effects of exposure to an extremely low-frequency magnetic field (25 Hz 20G) on animal cells have been studied. In some reports, stimulation was performed for fixed frequency and variations in magnitude; however, animal-cell experiments have established that both parameters play an important role. The present work undertook the modeling, simulation, and development of a uniform-magnetic-field generation system with variable frequency and stimulation intensity (0-60 Hz, 1-25G) for experimentation with cell cultures in situ. The results showed a coefficient of variation less than 1 % of the magnetic-field dispersion at the working volume, which is consistent with the corresponding simulation results demonstrating a uniform magnetic field. On the other hand, long-term tests during the characterization process indicated that increments of only $0.4^{\circ}C$ in the working volume temperature will not be an interfering factor when experiments are carried out in in situ cell cultures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of low frequency neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) training on abdominal obesity in middle-aged women through electromyography and ultrasound. METHODS: Twenty-two middle aged women with abdominal obesity participated in the study. A low-frequency NMES device was used on the abdomen and waist of each subject for 20 minutes each (a total of 40 minutes) three times a week for eight weeks. The waist-hip ratio (WHR), weight and BMI (Body Mass Index) were measured. Electromyography (EMG) and ultrasound measurements were performed three times in total (pre-intervention, four weeks into the intervention, and eight weeks post-intervention) to examine the effects of low-frequency NMES on the abdominal muscle activity, muscle thickness, and subcutaneous fat. RESULTS: The results indicated a difference in the WHR and waist circumference before and after intervention (p<.05). The external oblique muscle (EO) showed a significant increase in muscle activity during all measurements taken post-intervention (p<.05). The abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness also showed a significant decrease between each measurement (p<.05). The test results showed that the abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness values taken eight weeks post-intervention were significantly lower than those taken pre-intervention and four weeks into the intervention (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These findings show that low-frequency NMES device training can be applied to middle-aged women with abdominal obesity to improve their body shape and exercise performance.