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Havlík M, Hlinka J, Klírová M, Adámek P, Horáček J. Towards causal mechanisms of consciousness through focused transcranial brain stimulation. Neurosci Conscious 2023; 2023:niad008. [PMID: 37089451 PMCID: PMC10120840 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niad008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Conscious experience represents one of the most elusive problems of empirical science, namely neuroscience. The main objective of empirical studies of consciousness has been to describe the minimal sets of neural events necessary for a specific neuronal state to become consciously experienced. The current state of the art still does not meet this objective but rather consists of highly speculative theories based on correlates of consciousness and an ever-growing list of knowledge gaps. The current state of the art is defined by the limitations of past stimulation techniques and the emphasis on the observational approach. However, looking at the current stimulation technologies that are becoming more accurate, it is time to consider an alternative approach to studying consciousness, which builds on the methodology of causal explanations via causal alterations. The aim of this methodology is to move beyond the correlates of consciousness and focus directly on the mechanisms of consciousness with the help of the currently focused brain stimulation techniques, such as geodesic transcranial electric neuromodulation. This approach not only overcomes the limitations of the correlational methodology but will also become another firm step in the following science of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Havlík
- Center for Advanced Studies of Brain and Consciousness, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, Klecany 250 67, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Hlinka
- Center for Advanced Studies of Brain and Consciousness, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, Klecany 250 67, Czech Republic
- Department of Complex Systems, Institute of Computer Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Pod Vodárenskou věží 271/2, Prague 182 07, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Klírová
- Center for Advanced Studies of Brain and Consciousness, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, Klecany 250 67, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, Prague 10 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Adámek
- Center for Advanced Studies of Brain and Consciousness, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, Klecany 250 67, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, Prague 10 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Horáček
- Center for Advanced Studies of Brain and Consciousness, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, Klecany 250 67, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, Prague 10 100 00, Czech Republic
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Ye Z, Ding J, Tu Y, Zhang Q, Chen S, Yu H, Sun Q, Hua T. Suppression of top-down influence decreases both behavioral and V1 neuronal response sensitivity to stimulus orientations in cats. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1061980. [PMID: 36844652 PMCID: PMC9944033 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1061980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
How top-down influence affects behavioral detection of visual signals and neuronal response sensitivity in the primary visual cortex (V1) remains poorly understood. This study examined both behavioral performance in stimulus orientation identification and neuronal response sensitivity to stimulus orientations in the V1 of cat before and after top-down influence of area 7 (A7) was modulated by non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Our results showed that cathode (c) but not sham (s) tDCS in A7 significantly increased the behavioral threshold in identifying stimulus orientation difference, which effect recovered after the tDCS effect vanished. Consistently, c-tDCS but not s-tDCS in A7 significantly decreased the response selectivity bias of V1 neurons for stimulus orientations, which effect could recover after withdrawal of the tDCS effect. Further analysis showed that c-tDCS induced reduction of V1 neurons in response selectivity was not resulted from alterations of neuronal preferred orientation, nor of spontaneous activity. Instead, c-tDCS in A7 significantly lowered the visually-evoked response, especially the maximum response of V1 neurons, which caused a decrease in response selectivity and signal-to-noise ratio. By contrast, s-tDCS exerted no significant effect on the responses of V1 neurons. These results indicate that top-down influence of A7 may enhance behavioral identification of stimulus orientations by increasing neuronal visually-evoked response and response selectivity in the V1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Ye
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Jian Ding
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China,School of Basic Medical, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Yanni Tu
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Qiuyu Zhang
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Shunshun Chen
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Qingyan Sun
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Tianmiao Hua
- College of Life sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China,*Correspondence: Tianmiao Hua,
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A microfluidic perspective on conventional in vitro transcranial direct current stimulation methods. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 385:109761. [PMID: 36470469 PMCID: PMC9884911 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising non-invasive brain stimulation method to treat neurological and psychiatric diseases. However, its underlying neural mechanisms warrant further investigation. Indeed, dose-response interrelations are poorly understood. Placing explanted brain tissue, mostly from mice or rats, into a uniform direct current electric field (dcEF) is a well-established in vitro system to elucidate the neural mechanism of tDCS. Nevertheless, we will show that generating a defined, uniform, and constant dcEF throughout a brain slice is challenging. This article critically reviews the methods used to generate and calibrate a uniform dcEF. We use finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate the widely used parallel electrode configuration and show that it may not reliably generate uniform dcEF within a brain slice inside an open interface or submerged chamber. Moreover, equivalent circuit analysis and measurements inside a testing chamber suggest that calibrating the dcEF intensity with two recording electrodes can inaccurately capture the true EF magnitude in the targeted tissue when specific criteria are not met. Finally, we outline why microfluidic chambers are an effective and calibration-free approach of generating spatiotemporally uniform dcEF for DCS in vitro studies, facilitating accurate and fine-scale dcEF adjustments. We are convinced that improving the precision and addressing the limitations of current experimental platforms will substantially improve the reproducibility of in vitro experimental results. A better mechanistic understanding of dose-response relations will ultimately facilitate more effective non-invasive stimulation therapies in patients.
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Ding J, Ye Z, Xu F, Hu X, Yu H, Zhang S, Tu Y, Zhang Q, Sun Q, Hua T, Lu ZL. Effects of top-down influence suppression on behavioral and V1 neuronal contrast sensitivity functions in cats. iScience 2022; 25:103683. [PMID: 35059603 PMCID: PMC8760559 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To explore the relative contributions of higher-order and primary visual cortex (V1) to visual perception, we compared cats' behavioral and V1 neuronal contrast sensitivity functions (CSF) and threshold versus external noise contrast (TvC) functions before and after top-down influence of area 7 (A7) was modulated with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We found that suppressing top-down influence of A7 with cathode-tDCS, but not sham-tDCS, reduced behavioral and neuronal contrast sensitivity in the same range of spatial frequencies and increased behavioral and neuronal contrast thresholds in the same range of external noise levels. The neuronal CSF and TvC functions were highly correlated with their behavioral counterparts both before and after the top-down suppression. Analysis of TvC functions using the Perceptual Template Model (PTM) indicated that top-down influence of A7 increased both behavioral and V1 neuronal contrast sensitivity by reducing internal additive noise and the impact of external noise. Top-down suppression lowers both behavioral and V1 neuronal CSF functions Top-down suppression raises both behavioral and V1 neuronal TvC functions The neuronal CSFs and TvCs are highly correlated with their behavioral counterparts Top-down influence lowers internal additive noise and impact of external noise in V1
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Zheng Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Fei Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Xiangmei Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Shen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Yanni Tu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Qiuyu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Qingyan Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Tianmiao Hua
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Zhong-Lin Lu
- Divison of Arts and Sciences, NYU Shanghai, Shanghai 200122, China.,Center for Neural Science and Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.,NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, NYU Shanghai, Shanghai 200062, China
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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over the Right Inferior Parietal Cortex Reduces Transposition Errors in a Syllabic Reordering Task. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13112077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence derived from functional imaging and brain-lesion studies has shown a strong left lateralization for language, and a complementary right hemisphere dominance for visuospatial abilities. Nevertheless, the symmetrical functional division of the two hemispheres gives no reason for the complexity of the cognitive operations involved in carrying out a linguistic task. In fact, a growing number of neuroimaging and neurostimulation studies suggest a possible right hemisphere involvement in language processing. The objective of this work was to verify the contribution of the left and right parietal areas in a phonological task. We applied anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the right or left inferior parietal lobe, during a syllabic reordering task. After having learnt a combination of images of real objects and trisyllabic pseudowords with a simple consonant–vowel (CV) syllabic structure (e.g., tu-ru-cu), participants were shown the same images paired to two different pseudowords: one correct but with transposed syllables, and one alternative, never before seen. The participant’s task was to orally produce the chosen pseudoword, after having rearranged the order of its syllables. Two types of error were considered: transposition (correct pseudoword but incorrectly reordered) and identity (incorrect pseudoword). The results showed that right anodal stimulation significantly reduced the number of transposition errors, whereas left anodal stimulation significantly reduced the number of identity errors. These results suggested that both left and right inferior parietal areas were differentially involved in a syllabic reordering task, and, crucially, they demonstrated that visuospatial processes served by the right inferior parietal area could be competent for establishing the correct syllabic order within a word.
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Ding J, Hu X, Xu F, Yu H, Ye Z, Zhang S, Pan H, Pan D, Tu Y, Zhang Q, Sun Q, Hua T. Suppression of top-down influence decreases neuronal excitability and contrast sensitivity in the V1 cortex of cat. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16034. [PMID: 34362965 PMCID: PMC8346540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95407-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
How top-down influence affects neuronal activity and information encoding in the primary visual cortex (V1) remains elusive. This study examined changes of neuronal excitability and contrast sensitivity in cat V1 cortex after top-down influence of area 7 (A7) was modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The neuronal excitability in V1 cortex was evaluated by visually evoked field potentials (VEPs), and contrast sensitivity (CS) was assessed by the inverse of threshold contrast of neurons in response to visual stimuli at different performance accuracy. We found that the amplitude of VEPs in V1 cortex lowered after top-down influence suppression with cathode-tDCS in A7, whereas VEPs in V1 did not change after sham-tDCS in A7 and nonvisual cortical area 5 (A5) or cathode-tDCS in A5 and lesioned A7. Moreover, the mean CS of V1 neurons decreased after cathode-tDCS but not sham-tDCS in A7, which could recover after tDCS effect vanished. Comparisons of neuronal contrast-response functions showed that cathode-tDCS increased the stimulus contrast required to generate the half-maximum response, with a weakly-correlated reduction in maximum response but not baseline response. Therefore, top-down influence of A7 enhanced neuronal excitability in V1 cortex and improved neuronal contrast sensitivity by both contrast gain and response gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Xiangmei Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Fei Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Zheng Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Shen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Huijun Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Deng Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Yanni Tu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Qiuyu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Qingyan Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Tianmiao Hua
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China.
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Chen SC, Yang LY, Adeel M, Lai CH, Peng CW. Transcranial electrostimulation with special waveforms enhances upper-limb motor function in patients with chronic stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2021; 18:106. [PMID: 34193179 PMCID: PMC8244182 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-021-00901-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) were both demonstrated to have therapeutic potentials to rapidly induce neuroplastic effects in various rehabilitation training regimens. Recently, we developed a novel transcranial electrostimulation device that can flexibly output an electrical current with combined tDCS and iTBS waveforms. However, limited studies have determined the therapeutic effects of this special waveform combination on clinical rehabilitation. Herein, we investigated brain stimulation effects of tDCS-iTBS on upper-limb motor function in chronic stroke patients. Methods Twenty-four subjects with a chronic stroke were randomly assigned to a real non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS; who received the real tDCS + iTBS output) group or a sham NIBS (who received sham tDCS + iTBS output) group. All subjects underwent 18 treatment sessions of 1 h of a conventional rehabilitation program (3 days a week for 6 weeks), where a 20-min NIBS intervention was simultaneously applied during conventional rehabilitation. Outcome measures were assessed before and immediately after the intervention period: Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTT), and Finger-to-Nose Test (FNT). Results Both groups showed improvements in FMA-UE, JTT, and FNT scores after the 6-week rehabilitation program. Notably, the real NIBS group had greater improvements in the JTT (p = 0. 016) and FNT (p = 0. 037) scores than the sham NIBS group, as determined by the Mann–Whitney rank-sum test. Conclusions Patients who underwent the combined ipsilesional tDCS-iTBS stimulation with conventional rehabilitation exhibited greater impacts than did patients who underwent sham stimulation-conventional rehabilitation in statistically significant clinical responses of the total JTT time and FNT after the stroke. Preliminary results of upper-limb functional recovery suggest that tDCS-iTBS combined with a conventional rehabilitation intervention may be a promising strategy to enhance therapeutic benefits in future clinical settings. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04369235. Registered on 30 April 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Ching Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Yu Yang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Muhammad Adeel
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,International PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hung Lai
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Peng
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,International PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
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Pan D, Pan H, Zhang S, Yu H, Ding J, Ye Z, Hua T. Top-down influence affects the response adaptation of V1 neurons in cats. Brain Res Bull 2020; 167:89-98. [PMID: 33333174 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The visual system lowers its perceptual sensitivity to a prolonged presentation of the same visual signal. This brain plasticity, called visual adaptation, is generally attributed to the response adaptation of neurons in the visual cortex. Although well-studied in the neurons of the primary visual cortex (V1), the contribution of high-level visual cortical regions to the response adaptation of V1 neurons is unclear. In the present study, we measured the response adaptation strength of V1 neurons before and after the top-down influence of the area 21a (A21a), a higher-order visual cortex homologous to the primate V4 area, was modulated with a noninvasive tool of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Our results showed that the response adaptation of V1 neurons enhanced significantly after applying anode (a-) tDCS in A21a when compared with that before a-tDCS, whereas the response adaptation of V1 neurons weakened after cathode (c-) tDCS relative to before c-tDCS in A21a. By contrast, sham (s-) tDCS in A21a had no significant impact on the response adaptation of V1 neurons. Further analysis indicated that a-tDCS in A21a significantly increased both the initial response (IR) of V1 neurons to the first several (five) trails of visual stimulation and the plateau response (PR) to the prolonged visual stimulation; the increase in PR was lower than in IR, which caused an enhancement in response adaptation. Conversely, c-tDCS significantly decreased both IR and PR of V1 neurons; the reduction in PR was smaller than in IR, which resulted in a weakness in response adaptation. Furthermore, the tDCS-induced changes of V1 neurons in response and response adaptation could recover after tDCS effect vanished, but did not occur after the neuronal activity in A21a was silenced by electrolytic lesions. These results suggest that the top-down influence of A21a may alter the response adaptation of V1 neurons through activation of local inhibitory circuitry, which enhances network inhibition in the V1 area upon an increased top-down input, weakens inhibition upon a decreased top-down input, and thus maintains homeostasis of V1 neurons in response to the long-presenting visual signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deng Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Huijun Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Shen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Jian Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Zheng Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Tianmiao Hua
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China.
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Zhao X, Ding J, Pan H, Zhang S, Pan D, Yu H, Ye Z, Hua T. Anodal and cathodal tDCS modulate neural activity and selectively affect GABA and glutamate syntheses in the visual cortex of cats. J Physiol 2020; 598:3727-3745. [PMID: 32506434 DOI: 10.1113/jp279340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS The present study showed that anodal and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can respectively increase and decrease the amplitude of visually evoked field potentials in the stimulated visual cortex of cats, with the effect lasting for ∼60-70 min. We directly measured tDCS-induced changes in the concentration of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the visual cortex using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method and showed that anodal and cathodal tDCS can selectively decrease the concentration of GABA and glutamate in the stimulated cortical area. Anodal and cathodal tDCS can selectively inhibit the synthesis of GABA and glutamate by suppressing the expression of GABA- and glutamate-synthesizing enzymes, respectively. ABSTRACT Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) evokes long-lasting neuronal excitability in the target brain region. The underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. The present study examined tDCS-induced alterations in neuronal activities, as well as the concentration and synthesis of GABA and glutamate (GLU), in area 21a (A21a) of cat visual cortex. Our analysis showed that anodal and cathodal tDCS respectively enhanced and suppressed neuronal activities in A21a, as indicated by a significantly increased and decreased amplitude of visually evoked field potentials (VEPs). The tDCS-induced effect lasted for ∼60-70 min. By contrast, sham tDCS had no significant impact on the VEPs in A21a. On the other hand, the concentration of GABA, but not that of GLU, in A21a significantly decreased after anodal tDCS relative to sham tDCS, whereas the concentration of GLU, but not that of GABA, in A21a significantly decreased after cathodal tDCS relative to sham tDCS. Furthermore, the expression of GABA-synthesizing enzymes GAD65 and GAD67 in A21a significantly decreased in terms of both mRNA and protein concentrations after anodal tDCS relative to sham tDCS, whereas that of GLU-synthesizing enzyme glutaminase (GLS) did not change significantly after anodal tDCS. By contrast, both mRNA and protein concentrations of GLS in A21a significantly decreased after cathodal tDCS relative to sham tDCS, whereas those of GAD65/GAD67 showed no significant change after cathodal tDCS. Taken together, these results indicate that anodal and cathodal tDCS may selectively reduce GABA and GLU syntheses and thus respectively enhance and suppress neuronal excitability in the stimulated brain area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Jian Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Huijun Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Shen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Deng Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Zheng Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Tianmiao Hua
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
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Asan AS, Gok S, Sahin M. Electric Fields Induced By Transcutaneous And Intracranial Current Injections In The Rat Brain. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2019; 2018:2252-2255. [PMID: 30440854 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2018.8512770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
As a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) and specifically the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has gained popularity in recent years for treatment of a wide variety of cognitive and neurological disorders. Recent studies have shown that TES can alter the motor cortex excitability. Animal studies to demonstrate the underlying mechanisms of TES are clearly lacking in literature. Clinical studies have agreed on the critical role of the current intensity and the montage of the electrodes for the treatment to be effective. In this study, we used a rat model for in vivo investigation of the vertical electrical (E) field distribution due to electrodes placed over the skin and through a craniotomy hole. A mono-phasic current pulse was used as a substitute for DC currents by taking advantage of primarily resistive properties of the brain tissue at low frequencies. The electrical potentials induced by the current pulses were recorded with penetrations at 0mm, 2mm, and 4mm away from the stimulation electrode. The results showed that the E-field was maximum immediately under the anodic electrode and decreased both in the vertical and horizontal directions rapidly by distance. The magnitude of the electric field varied from tens of mV/mm to a fraction of mV/mm by distance for a 100 μ A stimulus amplitude. The results also show that the E-field amplitudes and distribution strongly depend on whether the stimulus electrode is placed over the skin or into a craniotomy hole.
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11
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Martín-Arévalo E, Lupiáñez J, Narganes-Pineda C, Marino G, Colás I, Chica AB. The causal role of the left parietal lobe in facilitation and inhibition of return. Cortex 2019; 117:311-322. [PMID: 31185374 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Following non-informative peripheral cues, responses are facilitated at the cued compared to the uncued location at short cue-target intervals. This effect reverses at longer intervals, giving rise to Inhibition of Return (IOR). The integration-segregation hypothesis (Lupiáñez, 2010) suggests that peripheral cues always produce an onset-detection cost regardless the behavioral cueing effect that is measured - either facilitation or IOR. In the present study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the causal contribution of this detection cost to performance. We used a cueing paradigm with a target discrimination task that was preceded by a non-informative peripheral cue. The presence-absence of a central intervening event was manipulated. Online TMS to the left superior parietal lobe (compared to an active vertex stimulation) lead to an overall more positive effect (faster responses for cued as compared to uncued trials), by putatively impairing the detection cost contribution to performance. The data revealed a strong association between overall RT and the TMS effect, and also between overall RT and the integrity of the first branch of the left superior longitudinal fascicule. These results have critical implications not only for the open debate about the mechanism/s underlying spatial orienting effects, but also for the growing literature demonstrating that white matter connectivity is crucial for explaining inter-individual behavioral variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Martín-Arévalo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain.
| | - J Lupiáñez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - C Narganes-Pineda
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - G Marino
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - I Colás
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - Ana B Chica
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
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12
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Lo OY, van Donkelaar P, Chou LS. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation over right posterior parietal cortex on attention function in healthy young adults. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 49:1623-1631. [PMID: 30667550 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Attention involves three distinct networks for alerting, orienting, and executive control. Interventions targeting the specific attentional networks remain lacking. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate cortical excitability, which potentially serves as an interventional tool to treat individuals with attention impairment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of applying tDCS over the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC) on the performance of the three attentional networks. Twenty-six healthy young adults performed the Attention Network Test before and after anodal or sham tDCS stimulation over the right PPC. The alerting, orienting, and executive effects were assessed before and after the stimulation. The results demonstrated that the orienting effect was significantly improved after real tDCS relative to sham, whereas the alerting and executive control effects remained unaffected. Consistent with previous clinical and functional imaging studies, this suggests that the right PPC is actively engaged with the spatial orienting of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- On-Yee Lo
- Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Paul van Donkelaar
- School of Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Li-Shan Chou
- Department of Human Physiology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon.,Department of Physical Education, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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13
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Valero-Cabré A, Toba MN, Hilgetag CC, Rushmore RJ. Perturbation-driven paradoxical facilitation of visuo-spatial function: Revisiting the 'Sprague effect'. Cortex 2019; 122:10-39. [PMID: 30905382 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The 'Sprague Effect' described in the seminal paper of James Sprague (Science 153:1544-1547, 1966a) is an unexpected paradoxical effect in which a second brain lesion reversed functional deficits induced by an earlier lesion. It was observed initially in the cat where severe and permanent contralateral visually guided attentional deficits generated by the ablation of large areas of the visual cortex were reversed by the subsequent removal of the superior colliculus (SC) opposite to the cortical lesion or by the splitting of the collicular commissure. Physiologically, this effect has been explained in several ways-most notably by the reduction of the functional inhibition of the ipsilateral SC by the contralateral SC, and the restoration of normal interactions between cortical and midbrain structures after ablation. In the present review, we aim at reappraising the 'Sprague Effect' by critically analyzing studies that have been conducted in the feline and human brain. Moreover, we assess applications of the 'Sprague Effect' in the rehabilitation of visually guided attentional impairments by using non-invasive therapeutic approaches such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS). We also review theoretical models of the effect that emphasize the inhibition and balancing between the two hemispheres and show implications for lesion inference approaches. Last, we critically review whether the resulting inter-hemispheric rivalry theories lead toward an efficient rehabilitation of stroke in humans. We conclude by emphasizing key challenges in the field of 'Sprague Effect' applications in order to design better therapies for brain-damaged patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoni Valero-Cabré
- Cerebral Dynamics, Plasticity and Rehabilitation Group, Frontlab Team, Brain and Spine Institute, ICM, Paris, France; CNRS UMR 7225, Inserm UMR S 1127, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Paris 06, F-75013, IHU-A-ICM, Paris, France; Laboratory for Cerebral Dynamics, Plasticity & Rehabilitation, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Monica N Toba
- Laboratory of Functional Neurosciences (EA 4559), University Hospital of Amiens and University of Picardy Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Claus C Hilgetag
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, Germany; Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Jarrett Rushmore
- Laboratory for Cerebral Dynamics, Plasticity & Rehabilitation, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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14
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Sánchez-León CA, Sánchez-López Á, Ammann C, Cordones I, Carretero-Guillén A, Márquez-Ruiz J. Exploring new transcranial electrical stimulation strategies to modulate brain function in animal models. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2018; 8:7-13. [PMID: 30272042 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) refers to a group of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to induce changes in the excitability of cortical neurons in humans. In recent years, studies in animal models have been shown to be essential for disentangling the neuromodulatory effects of tES, defining safety limits, and exploring potential therapeutic applications in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Testing in animal models is valuable for the development of new unconventional protocols intended to improve tES administration and optimize the desired effects by increasing its focality and enabling deep-brain stimulation. Successful and controlled application of tES in humans relies on the knowledge acquired from studies meticulously performed in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Sánchez-León
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013-Seville, Spain
| | - Álvaro Sánchez-López
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013-Seville, Spain
| | - Claudia Ammann
- CINAC, University Hospital HM Puerta del Sur, CEU - San Pablo University, 28938-Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Cordones
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013-Seville, Spain
| | | | - Javier Márquez-Ruiz
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013-Seville, Spain
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Sánchez-León CA, Ammann C, Medina JF, Márquez-Ruiz J. Using animal models to improve the design and application of transcranial electrical stimulation in humans. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2018; 5:125-135. [PMID: 30013890 DOI: 10.1007/s40473-018-0149-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is a non-invasive stimulation technique used for modulating brain function in humans. To help tES reach its full therapeutic potential, it is necessary to address a number of critical gaps in our knowledge. Here, we review studies that have taken advantage of animal models to provide invaluable insight about the basic science behind tES. Recent Findings Animal studies are playing a key role in elucidating the mechanisms implicated in tES, defining safety limits, validating computational models, inspiring new stimulation protocols, enhancing brain function and exploring new therapeutic applications. Summary Animal models provide a wealth of information that can facilitate the successful utilization of tES for clinical interventions in human subjects. To this end, tES experiments in animals should be carefully designed to maximize opportunities for applying discoveries to the treatment of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Ammann
- CINAC, University Hospital HM Puerta del Sur, CEU - San Pablo University, 28938-Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier F Medina
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Javier Márquez-Ruiz
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013-Seville, Spain
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16
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Jackson MP, Rahman A, Lafon B, Kronberg G, Ling D, Parra LC, Bikson M. Animal models of transcranial direct current stimulation: Methods and mechanisms. Clin Neurophysiol 2016; 127:3425-3454. [PMID: 27693941 PMCID: PMC5083183 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this review is to summarize the contribution of animal research using direct current stimulation (DCS) to our understanding of the physiological effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We comprehensively address experimental methodology in animal studies, broadly classified as: (1) transcranial stimulation; (2) direct cortical stimulation in vivo and (3) in vitro models. In each case advantages and disadvantages for translational research are discussed including dose translation and the overarching "quasi-uniform" assumption, which underpins translational relevance in all animal models of tDCS. Terminology such as anode, cathode, inward current, outward current, current density, electric field, and uniform are defined. Though we put key animal experiments spanning decades in perspective, our goal is not simply an exhaustive cataloging of relevant animal studies, but rather to put them in context of ongoing efforts to improve tDCS. Cellular targets, including excitatory neuronal somas, dendrites, axons, interneurons, glial cells, and endothelial cells are considered. We emphasize neurons are always depolarized and hyperpolarized such that effects of DCS on neuronal excitability can only be evaluated within subcellular regions of the neuron. Findings from animal studies on the effects of DCS on plasticity (LTP/LTD) and network oscillations are reviewed extensively. Any endogenous phenomena dependent on membrane potential changes are, in theory, susceptible to modulation by DCS. The relevance of morphological changes (galvanotropy) to tDCS is also considered, as we suggest microscopic migration of axon terminals or dendritic spines may be relevant during tDCS. A majority of clinical studies using tDCS employ a simplistic dose strategy where excitability is singularly increased or decreased under the anode and cathode, respectively. We discuss how this strategy, itself based on classic animal studies, cannot account for the complexity of normal and pathological brain function, and how recent studies have already indicated more sophisticated approaches are necessary. One tDCS theory regarding "functional targeting" suggests the specificity of tDCS effects are possible by modulating ongoing function (plasticity). Use of animal models of disease are summarized including pain, movement disorders, stroke, and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Asif Rahman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Belen Lafon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Gregory Kronberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Doris Ling
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Lucas C Parra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, NY, USA.
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Yi YG, Chun MH, Do KH, Sung EJ, Kwon YG, Kim DY. The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Neglect Syndrome in Stroke Patients. Ann Rehabil Med 2016; 40:223-9. [PMID: 27152271 PMCID: PMC4855115 DOI: 10.5535/arm.2016.40.2.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) improves visuospatial attention in stroke patients with left visuospatial neglect. METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: anodal tDCS over the right PPC, cathodal tDCS over the left PPC, or sham tDCS. Each patient underwent 15 sessions of tDCS (5 sessions per week for 3 weeks; 2 mA for 30 minutes in each session). Outcome measures were assessed before treatment and 1 week after completing the treatment. RESULTS From pre- to post-treatment, there was an improvement in the motor-free visual perception test (MVPT), line bisection test (LBT), star cancellation test (SCT), Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS), Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), and Functional Ambulation Classification in all 3 groups. Improvements in the MVPT, SCT, and LBT were greater in the anodal and cathodal groups than in the sham group. However, improvements in other outcomes were not significantly different between the 3 groups, although there was a tendency for improved CBS or K-MBI scores in the anodal and cathodal groups, as compared with the sham group. CONCLUSION The study results indicated that the facilitatory effect of anodal tDCS applied over the right PPC, and the inhibitory effect of cathodal tDCS applied over the left PPC, improved symptoms of visuospatial neglect. Thus, tDCS could be a successful adjuvant therapeutic modality to recover neglect symptom, but this recovery might not lead to improvements in activities of daily living function and gait function.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Gyoung Yi
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Min Ho Chun
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyung Hee Do
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun Jung Sung
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong Gyu Kwon
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dae Yul Kim
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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18
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Wu Q, Chang CF, Xi S, Huang IW, Liu Z, Juan CH, Wu Y, Fan J. A critical role of temporoparietal junction in the integration of top-down and bottom-up attentional control. Hum Brain Mapp 2015; 36:4317-33. [PMID: 26308973 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Revised: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Information processing can be biased toward behaviorally relevant and salient stimuli by top-down (goal-directed) and bottom-up (stimulus-driven) attentional control processes respectively. However, the neural basis underlying the integration of these processes is not well understood. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in humans to examine the brain mechanisms underlying the interaction between these two processes. We manipulated the cognitive load involved in top-down processing and stimulus surprise involved in bottom-up processing in a factorial design by combining a majority function task and an oddball paradigm. We found that high cognitive load and high surprise level were associated with prolonged reaction time compared to low cognitive load and low surprise level, with a synergistic interaction effect, which was accompanied by a greater deactivation of bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ). In addition, the TPJ displayed negative functional connectivity with right middle occipital gyrus, which is involved in bottom-up processing (modulated by the interaction effect), and the right frontal eye field (FEF), which is involved in top-down control. The enhanced negative functional connectivity between the TPJ and right FEF was accompanied by a larger behavioral interaction effect across subjects. Application of cathodal tDCS over the right TPJ eliminated the interaction effect. These results suggest that the TPJ plays a critical role in processing bottom-up information for top-down control of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chi-Fu Chang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan
| | - Sisi Xi
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - I-Wen Huang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan
| | - Zuxiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chi-Hung Juan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan
| | - Yanhong Wu
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Machine Perception (Ministry of Education), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Fan
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
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19
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Benwell CSY, Learmonth G, Miniussi C, Harvey M, Thut G. Non-linear effects of transcranial direct current stimulation as a function of individual baseline performance: Evidence from biparietal tDCS influence on lateralized attention bias. Cortex 2015; 69:152-65. [PMID: 26073146 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a well-established technique for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). However, the technique suffers from a high variability in outcome, some of which is likely explained by the state of the brain at tDCS-delivery but for which explanatory, mechanistic models are lacking. Here, we tested the effects of bi-parietal tDCS on perceptual line bisection as a function of tDCS current strength (1 mA vs 2 mA) and individual baseline discrimination sensitivity (a measure associated with intrinsic uncertainty/signal-to-noise balance). Our main findings were threefold. We replicated a previous finding (Giglia et al., 2011) of a rightward shift in subjective midpoint after Left anode/Right cathode tDCS over parietal cortex (sham-controlled). We found this effect to be weak over our entire sample (n = 38), but to be substantial in a subset of participants when they were split according to tDCS-intensity and baseline performance. This was due to a complex, nonlinear interaction between these two factors. Our data lend further support to the notion of state-dependency in NIBS which suggests outcome to depend on the endogenous balance between task-informative 'signal' and task-uninformative 'noise' at baseline. The results highlight the strong influence of individual differences and variations in experimental parameters on tDCS outcome, and the importance of fostering knowledge on the factors influencing tDCS outcome across cognitive domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S Y Benwell
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Gemma Learmonth
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Carlo Miniussi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Cognitive Neuroscience Section, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Monika Harvey
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gregor Thut
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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Sawada K, Horiuchi-Hirose M, Saito S, Aoki I. Sexual dimorphism of sulcal morphology of the ferret cerebrum revealed by MRI-based sulcal surface morphometry. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:55. [PMID: 25999821 PMCID: PMC4422084 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study quantitatively assessed sexual dimorphism of cortical convolution and sulcal morphology in young adult ferrets by MRI-based sulcal surface morphometry. Ex vivo T1-weighted (short TR/TE) MRI of the ferret cerebrum was acquired with high spatial resolution at 7-tesla. The degree of cortical convolution, evaluated quantitatively based on 3D MRI data by sulcation index (SI), was significantly greater in males (0.553 ± 0.036) than in females (0.502 ± 0.043) (p < 0.001). The rostrocaudal distribution of the cortical convolution revealed a greater convolution in the frontal region of the cortex in males than in females and by a posterior extension of the convolution in the temporo-parieto-occipital region of males. Although the cerebral width in the frontal region was not different between sexes, the rhinal fissure and rostral region of splenial sulcus were more infolded in males than in females. On the contrary, the cerebral width was greater in males in the temporo-parieto-occipital region, and male-prominent posterior extension of infolding was noted in the lateral sulcus, caudal suprasylvian sulcus, pesudosylvian sulcus, hippocampal sulcus, and the caudal region of splenial sulcus. Notably, the caudal descending region of lateral sulcus was clearly infolded in males, but obscured in females. The present results suggest a region-related sexual dimorphism of the sulcal infolding, which is reflected by local cortical expansion in the ferret cerebrum. In particular, male-favored sulcal infolding with expansion of the temporo-parieto-occipital neocortex may be relevant to the human cerebral cortex regarding visuo-spatial and emotion processing, which are known to differ between sexes. The present results will provide fundamental information assessing sex-related changes in the regional sulcal infolding, when ferrets with experimentally-induced gyrification abnormality will be used as models for male-prevalent or male-earlier-onset neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiko Sawada
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tsukuba International University Tsuchiura, Japan
| | - Miwa Horiuchi-Hirose
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tsukuba International University Tsuchiura, Japan
| | - Shigeyoshi Saito
- Division of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Engineering, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita, Japan ; Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka University Suita, Japan
| | - Ichio Aoki
- Molecular Imaging Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences Chiba, Japan
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Pelletier SJ, Cicchetti F. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of transcranial direct current stimulation: evidence from in vitro and in vivo models. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyu047. [PMID: 25522391 PMCID: PMC4368894 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyu047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation is a noninvasive technique that has been experimentally tested for a number of psychiatric and neurological conditions. Preliminary observations suggest that this approach can indeed influence a number of cellular and molecular pathways that may be disease relevant. However, the mechanisms of action underlying its beneficial effects are largely unknown and need to be better understood to allow this therapy to be used optimally. In this review, we summarize the physiological responses observed in vitro and in vivo, with a particular emphasis on cellular and molecular cascades associated with inflammation, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity recruited by direct current stimulation, a topic that has been largely neglected in the literature. A better understanding of the neural responses to transcranial direct current stimulation is critical if this therapy is to be used in large-scale clinical trials with a view of being routinely offered to patients suffering from various conditions affecting the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Axe Neuroscience, Québec, QC, Canada (Mr Pelletier and Dr Cicchetti); Département de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada (Mr Pelletier and Dr Cicchetti).
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Ruffini G, Wendling F, Merlet I, Molaee-Ardekani B, Mekonnen A, Salvador R, Soria-Frisch A, Grau C, Dunne S, Miranda PC. Transcranial current brain stimulation (tCS): models and technologies. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2014; 21:333-45. [PMID: 22949089 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2012.2200046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we provide a broad overview of models and technologies pertaining to transcranial current brain stimulation (tCS), a family of related noninvasive techniques including direct current (tDCS), alternating current (tACS), and random noise current stimulation (tRNS). These techniques are based on the delivery of weak currents through the scalp (with electrode current intensity to area ratios of about 0.3-5 A/m2) at low frequencies (typically < 1 kHz) resulting in weak electric fields in the brain (with amplitudes of about 0.2-2 V/m). Here we review the biophysics and simulation of noninvasive, current-controlled generation of electric fields in the human brain and the models for the interaction of these electric fields with neurons, including a survey of in vitro and in vivo related studies. Finally, we outline directions for future fundamental and technological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Ruffini
- Starlab Neuroscience Research, Starlab Barcelona, 08022 Barcelona, Spain.
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Rushmore RJ, DeSimone C, Valero-Cabré A. Multiple sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation to the intact hemisphere improves visual function after unilateral ablation of visual cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 38:3799-807. [PMID: 24118563 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Revised: 08/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Damage to cerebral systems is frequently followed by the emergence of compensatory mechanisms, which serve to reduce the effects of brain damage and allow recovery of function. Intrinsic recovery, however, is rarely complete. Non-invasive brain stimulation technologies have the potential to actively shape neural circuits and enhance recovery from brain damage. In this study, a stable deficit for detecting and orienting to visual stimuli presented in the contralesional visual hemifield was generated by producing unilateral brain damage of the right posterior parietal and contiguous visual cortical areas. A long regimen of inhibitory non-invasive transcranial direct-current stimulation (cathodal tDCS, 2 mA, 20 min) was applied to the contralateral (intact) posterior parietal cortex over 14 weeks (total of 70 sessions, one per day, 5 days per week) and behavioral outcomes were periodically assessed. In three out of four stimulated cats, lasting recovery of visuospatial function was observed. Recovery started after 2-3 weeks of stimulation, and recovered targets were located first in the periphery, and moved to more central visual field locations with the accrual of stimulation sessions. Recovery for moving tasks followed a biphasic pattern before reaching plateau levels. Recovery did not occur for more difficult visual tasks. These findings highlight the ability of multiple sessions of transcranial direct-current stimulation to produce recovery of visuospatial function after unilateral brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Rushmore
- Laboratory of Cerebral Dynamics, Plasticity, and Rehabilitation, Boston University School of Medicine, 700 Albany Street, W702, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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Transcranial Magnetic and Electric Stimulation in Perception and Cognition Research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1201/b14174-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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Afifi L, Jarrett Rushmore R, Valero-Cabré A. Benefit of multiple sessions of perilesional repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for an effective rehabilitation of visuospatial function. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 37:441-54. [PMID: 23167832 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 10/05/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Noninvasive neurostimulation techniques have been used alone or in conjunction with rehabilitation therapy to treat the neurological sequelae of brain damage with rather variable therapeutic outcomes. One potential factor limiting a consistent success for such techniques may be the limited number of sessions carried out in patients, despite reports that their accrual may play a key role in alleviating neurological deficits long-term. In this study, we tested the effects of seventy consecutive sessions of perilesional high-frequency (10 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of chronic neglect deficits in a well-established feline model of visuospatial neglect. Under identical rTMS parameters and visuospatial testing regimes, half of the subjects improved in visuospatial orienting performance. The other half experienced either none or extremely moderate ameliorations in the neglected hemispace and displayed transient patterns of maladaptive visuospatial behavior. Detailed analyses suggest that lesion location and extent did not account for the behavioral differences observed between these two groups of animals. We conclude that multi-session perilesional rTMS regimes have the potential to induce functional ameliorations following focal chronic brain injury, and that behavioral performance prior to the onset of the rTMS treatment is the factor that best predicts positive outcomes for noninvasive neurostimulation treatments in visuospatial neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Afifi
- Laboratory of Cerebral Dynamics, Plasticity and Rehabilitation, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
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Rueger MA, Keuters MH, Walberer M, Braun R, Klein R, Sparing R, Fink GR, Graf R, Schroeter M. Multi-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) elicits inflammatory and regenerative processes in the rat brain. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43776. [PMID: 22928032 PMCID: PMC3425495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2012] [Accepted: 07/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is increasingly being used in human studies as an adjuvant tool to promote recovery of function after stroke. However, its neurobiological effects are still largely unknown. Electric fields are known to influence the migration of various cell types in vitro, but effects in vivo remain to be shown. Hypothesizing that tDCS might elicit the recruitment of cells to the cortex, we here studied the effects of tDCS in the rat brain in vivo. Adult Wistar rats (n = 16) were randomized to either anodal or cathodal stimulation for either 5 or 10 consecutive days (500 µA, 15 min). Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was given systemically to label dividing cells throughout the experiment. Immunohistochemical analyses ex vivo included stainings for activated microglia and endogenous neural stem cells (NSC). Multi-session tDCS with the chosen parameters did not cause a cortical lesion. An innate immune response with early upregulation of Iba1-positive activated microglia occurred after both cathodal and anodal tDCS. The involvement of adaptive immunity as assessed by ICAM1-immunoreactivity was less pronounced. Most interestingly, only cathodal tDCS increased the number of endogenous NSC in the stimulated cortex. After 10 days of cathodal stimulation, proliferating NSC increased by ∼60%, with a significant effect of both polarity and number of tDCS sessions on the recruitment of NSC. We demonstrate a pro-inflammatory effect of both cathodal and anodal tDCS, and a polarity-specific migratory effect on endogenous NSC in vivo. Our data suggest that tDCS in human stroke patients might also elicit NSC activation and modulate neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Adele Rueger
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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The role of the right parietal lobe in the perception of causality: a tDCS study. Exp Brain Res 2011; 215:315-25. [PMID: 21997332 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-011-2899-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Inferring causality is a fundamental feature of human cognition that allows us to predict outcomes in everyday events. Here, we use direct current stimulation (tDCS) to investigate the role of the right parietal lobe in the perception of causal events. Based on the results of a previous fMRI investigation, we hypothesized that the right parietal lobe plays a specific role in the processing of spatial attributes that contribute to judgments of causality. In line with our hypothesis, we found polarization-dependent modulation of causal judgments and corresponding reaction times (RTs) for trials with increasing violation of spatial contiguity in launching events. This effect was further modulated by temporal violations, as the effect of tDCS on the use of spatial information for causality judgements was strongest for trials with high temporal violations. Thus, especially for ambiguous trials with regard to temporal patterns, cathodal stimulation led to more liberal causality judgments for trials with high angles in movement trajectory. Furthermore, we found faster RTs after anodal stimulation of the right parietal lobe. These findings suggest a reduced influence of spatial attributes on the perception of causality after cathode stimulation of the right parietal lobe and an increased processing efficiency after anodal stimuli of the same region. These data demonstrate polarization-dependent tDCS modulation of spatial processing mechanisms within the right parietal lobe that contribute to the perception of causality.
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Hesse MD, Sparing R, Fink GR. Ameliorating spatial neglect with non-invasive brain stimulation: From pathophysiological concepts to novel treatment strategies. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2011; 21:676-702. [DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2011.573931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Cambiaghi M, Teneud L, Velikova S, Gonzalez-Rosa JJ, Cursi M, Comi G, Leocani L. Flash visual evoked potentials in mice can be modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation. Neuroscience 2011; 185:161-5. [PMID: 21515340 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Revised: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 04/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in humans has been shown to affect the size of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in a polarity-dependent way. VEPs have been widely employed in mice to study the visual system in physiological and pathological conditions and are extensively used as animal models of neurological and visual disorders. The present study was performed to evaluate whether mice VEPs could be modulated by tDCS in the same manner as in humans. We describe here the effects of 10 min tDCS (anodal, cathodal or no stimulation) on flash-VEPs in C57BL/6 mice under sevoflurane anesthesia. VEP amplitudes of the first major peak (P1) were analyzed before, at 0, 5 and 10 min after tDCS. Compared with no stimulation condition, anodal tDCS increased P1 amplitude slightly more than 25%, while cathodal stimulation had opposite effects, with a decrease of P1 amplitude by about 30%. After-effects tended to reverse toward basal levels within 10 min after tDCS. These results, suggesting polarity-dependent modulation similar to what described in humans of tDCS effects on VEPs, encourage the use of mice models to study tDCS mechanisms of action and explore therapeutic applications on neurological models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cambiaghi
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Experimental Neurophysiology Unit, Milan, Italy
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Giglia G, Mattaliano P, Puma A, Rizzo S, Fierro B, Brighina F. Neglect-like effects induced by tDCS modulation of posterior parietal cortices in healthy subjects. Brain Stimul 2011; 4:294-9. [PMID: 22032745 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2011.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Accepted: 01/09/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over right posterior parietal cortex was shown to induce interference on visuospatial perception in healthy subjects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is another noninvasive brain stimulation technique that works modulating cortical activity. It is applied through easy to use, noncostly, and portable devices. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS The aim of the current study was to investigate if the novel approach of "dual" stimulation over parietal cortices compared with the unilateral (right) cathodal one is able to induce greater and/or longer-lasting neglect-like effects in normal subjects performing a computerized visuospatial task. METHODS Eleven healthy subjects underwent a computerized visuospatial task requiring judgments about the symmetry of prebisected lines in baseline condition, during and after tDCS. Right cathodal and left anodal tDCS were simultaneously applied over homologue posterior parietal cortices in the "dual" approach, whereas right cathodal tDCS was used in the traditional unihemisphere stimulation. RESULTS A significant rightward bias in symmetry judgments as compared with baseline and sham conditions was observed in both the stimulation approaches. With "dual" tDCS compared with cathodal stimulation the effect was stronger and appeared earlier, but no longer-lasting after effects were found. CONCLUSIONS We speculate that the resulting modulation of interhemispheric inhibition mediated the additional rightward bias in task performance for "dual" hemisphere compared with unihemisphere tDCS. If "dual" tDCS may better reproduce mechanisms underlying real lesions, it could provide a more suitable model for rehabilitation of negligent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Giglia
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences University of Palermo, Via G. La Loggia, 1; 90100 Palermo, Italy
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Bolognini N, Olgiati E, Rossetti A, Maravita A. Enhancing multisensory spatial orienting by brain polarization of the parietal cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2010; 31:1800-6. [PMID: 20584184 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07211.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that induces polarity-specific excitability changes in the human brain, therefore altering physiological, perceptual and higher-order cognitive processes. Here we investigated the possibility of enhancing attentional orienting within and across different sensory modalities, namely visual and auditory, by polarization of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), given the putative involvement of this area in both unisensory and multisensory spatial processing. In different experiments, we applied anodal or sham tDCS to the right PPC and, for control, anodal stimulation of the right occipital cortex. Using a redundant signal effect (RSE) task, we found that anodal tDCS over the right PPC significantly speeded up responses to contralateral targets, regardless of the stimulus modality. Furthermore, the effect was dependant on the nature of the audiovisual enhancement, being stronger when subserved by a probabilistic mechanism induced by blue visual stimuli, which probably involves processing in the PPC. Hence, up-regulating the level of excitability in the PPC by tDCS appears a successful approach for enhancing spatial orienting to unisensory and crossmodal stimuli. Moreover, audiovisual interactions mostly occurring at a cortical level can be selectively enhanced by anodal PPC tDCS, whereas multisensory integration of stimuli, which is also largely mediated at a subcortical level, appears less susceptible to polarization of the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Bolognini
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Viale dell'Innovazione 10, 20126 Milano, Italy.
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Bolognini N, Fregni F, Casati C, Olgiati E, Vallar G. Brain polarization of parietal cortex augments training-induced improvement of visual exploratory and attentional skills. Brain Res 2010; 1349:76-89. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2009] [Revised: 06/13/2010] [Accepted: 06/22/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Wolfe B, Rushmore RJ, Valero-Cabré A. Coping with spatial attention in real space: A low-cost portable testing system for the investigation of visuo-spatial processing in the human brain. J Neurosci Methods 2010; 187:190-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2010.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2009] [Revised: 01/06/2010] [Accepted: 01/08/2010] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Sparing R, Thimm M, Hesse MD, Küst J, Karbe H, Fink GR. Bidirectional alterations of interhemispheric parietal balance by non-invasive cortical stimulation. Brain 2009; 132:3011-20. [PMID: 19528092 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awp154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- R Sparing
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpenerstr. 62, 50924 Cologne, Germany.
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