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Casula EP, Esposito R, Dezi S, Ortelli P, Sebastianelli L, Ferrazzoli D, Saltuari L, Pezzopane V, Borghi I, Rocchi L, Ajello V, Trinka E, Oliviero A, Koch G, Versace V. Reduced TMS-evoked EEG oscillatory activity in cortical motor regions in patients with post-COVID fatigue. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 165:26-35. [PMID: 38943790 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Persistent fatigue is a major symptom of the so-called 'long-COVID syndrome', but the pathophysiological processes that cause it remain unclear. We hypothesized that fatigue after COVID-19 would be associated with altered cortical activity in premotor and motor regions. METHODS We used transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with EEG (TMS-EEG) to explore the neural oscillatory activity of the left primary motor area (l-M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA) in a group of sixteen post-COVID patients complaining of lingering fatigue as compared to a sample of age-matched healthy controls. Perceived fatigue was assessed with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Fatigue Rating Scale (FRS). RESULTS Post-COVID patients showed a remarkable reduction of beta frequency in both areas. Correlation analysis exploring linear relation between neurophysiological and clinical measures revealed a significant inverse correlation between the individual level of beta oscillations evoked by TMS of SMA with the individual scores in the FRS (r(15) = -0.596; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS Post-COVID fatigue is associated with a reduction of TMS-evoked beta oscillatory activity in SMA. SIGNIFICANCE TMS-EEG could be used to identify early alterations of cortical oscillatory activity that could be related to the COVID impact in central fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias P Casula
- Department of System Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Via Cracovia 50, 00133, Rome, Italy; Experimental Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 354, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Romina Esposito
- Experimental Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 354, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Sabrina Dezi
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Unversity (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
| | - Paola Ortelli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Unversity (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
| | - Luca Sebastianelli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Unversity (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
| | - Davide Ferrazzoli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Unversity (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
| | - Leopold Saltuari
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Unversity (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
| | - Valentina Pezzopane
- Experimental Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 354, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Borghi
- Experimental Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 354, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Rocchi
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Via Università 40, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Valentina Ajello
- Department of Cardiac Anesthesia, University of Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Department of Neurology, Neurocritical Care and Neurorehabilitation, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paracelsus Medical University, Member of the European Reference Network EpiCARE, Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Neuroscience Institute, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Karl Landsteiner Institute of Neurorehabilitation and Space Neurology, Julius Raab-Promenade 49/1, 3100 St. Pölten, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Antonio Oliviero
- FENNSI Group, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, SESCAM, FINCA DE, Carr. de la Peraleda, S/N, 45004 Toledo, Spain; Center for Clinical Neuroscience, Hospital Los Madroños, M-501 Km 17, 900 - 28690 Brunete, Spain
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Experimental Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 354, 00179, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Via Ludovico Ariosto 35, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Viviana Versace
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Unversity (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria; Department of Neurology, Neurocritical Care and Neurorehabilitation, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paracelsus Medical University, Member of the European Reference Network EpiCARE, Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
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Cruciani A, Capone F, Haggiag S, Prosperini L, Santoro F, Ruggieri S, Motolese F, Pilato F, Musumeci G, Pozzilli V, Rossi M, Stampanoni Bassi M, Buttari F, Centonze D, Di Lazzaro V, Gasperini C, Tortorella C. Cortical plasticity in AQP4-positive NMOSD: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae345. [PMID: 39172095 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease characterized by suboptimal recovery from attacks and long-term disability. Experimental data suggest that AQP4 antibodies can disrupt neuroplasticity, a fundamental driver of brain recovery. A well-established method to assess brain LTP is through intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS). This study aimed to explore neuroplasticity in AQP4-NMOSD patients by examining long-term potentiation (LTP) through iTBS. We conducted a proof-of-principle study including 8 patients with AQP4-NMOSD, 8 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and 8 healthy controls (HC) in which iTBS was administered to induce LTP-like effects. iTBS-induced LTP exhibited significant differences among the 3 groups (p: 0.006). Notably, AQP4-NMOSD patients demonstrated impaired plasticity compared to both HC (p = 0.01) and pwMS (p = 0.02). This pilot study provides the first in vivo evidence supporting impaired neuroplasticity in AQP4-NMOSD patients. Impaired cortical plasticity may hinder recovery following attacks suggesting a need for targeted rehabilitation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cruciani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Fioravante Capone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Shalom Haggiag
- Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, C.ne Gianicolense 87, , 00152 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Prosperini
- Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, C.ne Gianicolense 87, , 00152 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Santoro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Serena Ruggieri
- Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, C.ne Gianicolense 87, , 00152 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Motolese
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilato
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Gabriella Musumeci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Valeria Pozzilli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Rossi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Fabio Buttari
- Unit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
- Laboratory of Synaptic Immunopathology, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Diego Centonze
- Unit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
- Laboratory of Synaptic Immunopathology, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21-00128, Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Claudio Gasperini
- Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, C.ne Gianicolense 87, , 00152 Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Tortorella
- Department of Neurosciences, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, C.ne Gianicolense 87, , 00152 Rome, Italy
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Santoro V, Hou MD, Premoli I, Belardinelli P, Biondi A, Carobin A, Puledda F, Michalopoulou PG, Richardson MP, Rocchi L, Shergill SS. Investigating cortical excitability and inhibition in patients with schizophrenia: A TMS-EEG study. Brain Res Bull 2024; 212:110972. [PMID: 38710310 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.110972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with electromyography (EMG) has widely been used as a non-invasive brain stimulation tool to assess excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance. E/I imbalance is a putative mechanism underlying symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Combined TMS-electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) provides a detailed examination of cortical excitability to assess the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This study aimed to investigate differences in TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs), TMS-related spectral perturbations (TRSP) and intertrial coherence (ITC) between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS TMS was applied over the motor cortex during EEG recording. Differences in TEPs, TRSP and ITC between the patient and healthy subjects were analysed for all electrodes at each time point, by applying multiple independent sample t-tests with a cluster-based permutation analysis to correct for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Patients demonstrated significantly reduced amplitudes of early and late TEP components compared to healthy controls. Patients also showed a significant reduction of early delta (50-160 ms) and theta TRSP (30-250ms),followed by a reduction in alpha and beta suppression (220-560 ms; 190-420 ms). Patients showed a reduction of both early (50-110 ms) gamma increase and later (180-230 ms) gamma suppression. Finally, the ITC was significantly lower in patients in the alpha band, from 30 to 260 ms. CONCLUSION Our findings support the putative role of impaired GABA-receptor mediated inhibition in schizophrenia impacting excitatory neurotransmission. Further studies can usefully elucidate mechanisms underlying specific symptoms clusters using TMS-EEG biometrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Santoro
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Headache Group, Wolfson SPaRC, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - M D Hou
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - I Premoli
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - P Belardinelli
- Cimec, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - A Biondi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - A Carobin
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - F Puledda
- Headache Group, Wolfson SPaRC, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - P G Michalopoulou
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - M P Richardson
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - L Rocchi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - S S Shergill
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Kent and Medway Medical School, Canterbury CT2 7FS, United Kingdom; Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Maidstone, ME7 4JL, United Kingdom
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4
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Fong PY, Rothwell JC, Rocchi L. The Past, Current and Future Research in Cerebellar TMS Evoked Responses-A Narrative Review. Brain Sci 2024; 14:432. [PMID: 38790411 PMCID: PMC11118133 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation coupled with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) is a novel technique to investigate cortical physiology in health and disease. The cerebellum has recently gained attention as a possible new hotspot in the field of TMS-EEG, with several reports published recently. However, EEG responses obtained by cerebellar stimulation vary considerably across the literature, possibly due to different experimental methods. Compared to conventional TMS-EEG, which involves stimulation of the cortex, cerebellar TMS-EEG presents some technical difficulties, including strong muscle twitches in the neck area and a loud TMS click when double-cone coils are used, resulting in contamination of responses by electromyographic activity and sensory potentials. Understanding technical difficulties and limitations is essential for the development of cerebellar TMS-EEG research. In this review, we summarize findings of cerebellar TMS-EEG studies, highlighting limitations in experimental design and potential issues that can result in discrepancies between experimental outcomes. Lastly, we propose a possible direction for academic and clinical research with cerebellar TMS-EEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yu Fong
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; (J.C.R.)
- Division of Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Medical School, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - John C. Rothwell
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; (J.C.R.)
| | - Lorenzo Rocchi
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; (J.C.R.)
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
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Mancuso M, Cruciani A, Sveva V, Casula E, Brown KE, Di Lazzaro V, Rothwell JC, Rocchi L. Changes in Cortical Activation by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Due to Coil Rotation Are Not Attributable to Cranial Muscle Activation. Brain Sci 2024; 14:332. [PMID: 38671984 PMCID: PMC11048461 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation coupled with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) allows for the study of brain dynamics in health and disease. Cranial muscle activation can decrease the interpretability of TMS-EEG signals by masking genuine EEG responses and increasing the reliance on preprocessing methods but can be at least partly prevented by coil rotation coupled with the online monitoring of signals; however, the extent to which changing coil rotation may affect TMS-EEG signals is not fully understood. Our objective was to compare TMS-EEG data obtained with an optimal coil rotation to induce motor evoked potentials (M1standard) while rotating the coil to minimize cranial muscle activation (M1emg). TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs), TMS-related spectral perturbation (TRSP), and intertrial phase clustering (ITPC) were calculated in both conditions using two different preprocessing pipelines based on independent component analysis (ICA) or signal-space projection with source-informed reconstruction (SSP-SIR). Comparisons were performed with cluster-based correction. The concordance correlation coefficient was computed to measure the similarity between M1standard and M1emg TMS-EEG signals. TEPs, TRSP, and ITPC were significantly larger in M1standard than in M1emg conditions; a lower CCC than expected was also found. These results were similar across the preprocessing pipelines. While rotating the coil may be advantageous to reduce cranial muscle activation, it may result in changes in TMS-EEG signals; therefore, this solution should be tailored to the specific experimental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mancuso
- Department of Human Neuroscience, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Viale dell’Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Cruciani
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (V.D.L.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Sveva
- Department of Anatomical and Histological Sciences, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Elias Casula
- Department of System Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Katlyn E. Brown
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G5, Canada;
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (V.D.L.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - John C. Rothwell
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK;
| | - Lorenzo Rocchi
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK;
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Blocco I S.S. 554 bivio per Sestu, Monserrato, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
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Cruciani A, Pellegrino G, Todisco A, Motolese F, Sferruzzi M, Norata D, Santoro F, Musumeci G, Rossi M, Pilato F, Di Lazzaro V, Capone F. High-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation matching individual frequency of somatosensory evoked high-frequency oscillations can modulate the somatosensory system through thalamocortical pathway. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad481. [PMID: 38100323 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
tACS (transcranial alternating current stimulation) is a technique for modulating brain activity through electrical current. Its effects depend on cortical entrainment, which is most effective when transcranial alternating current stimulation matches the brain's natural rhythm. High-frequency oscillations produced by external stimuli are useful for studying the somatosensory pathway. Our study aims to explore transcranial alternating current stimulation's impact on the somatosensory system when synchronized with individual high-frequency oscillation frequencies. We conducted a randomized, sham-controlled study with 14 healthy participants. The study had three phases: Individualized transcranial alternating current stimulation (matching the individual's high-frequency oscillation rhythm), Standard transcranial alternating current stimulation (600 Hz), and sham stimulation. We measured early and late HFO components after median nerve electrical stimulation at three time points: before (T0), immediately after (T1), and 10 min after transcranial alternating current stimulation (T2). Compared to Sham and Standard stimulation Individualized transcranial alternating current stimulation significantly enhanced high-frequency oscillations, especially the early component, immediately after stimulation and for at least 15 min. No other effects were observed for other high-frequency oscillation measures. In summary, our study provides initial evidence that transcranial alternating current stimulation synchronized with an individual's high-frequency oscillation frequency can precisely and time-specifically modulate thalamocortical activity. These insights may pave the way for innovative, personalized neuromodulation methods for the somatosensory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cruciani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pellegrino
- Epilepsy Program, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Antonio Todisco
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Francesco Motolese
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Marco Sferruzzi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Davide Norata
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
- Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine (DIMSC), Marche Polytechnic University, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesca Santoro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Gabriella Musumeci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Rossi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilato
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
| | - Fioravante Capone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Roma 21-00128, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo Roma 200-00128, Italy
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