1
|
Sánchez-León CA, Campos GSG, Fernández M, Sánchez-López A, Medina JF, Márquez-Ruiz J. Somatodendritic orientation determines tDCS-induced neuromodulation of Purkinje cell activity in awake mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.18.529047. [PMID: 36824866 PMCID: PMC9949160 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.18.529047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) of the cerebellum is a promising non-invasive neuromodulatory technique being proposed for the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is a lack of knowledge about how externally applied currents affect neuronal spiking activity in cerebellar circuits in vivo. We investigated how Cb-tDCS affects the firing rate of Purkinje cells (PC) and non-PC in the mouse cerebellar cortex to understand the underlying mechanisms behind the polarity-dependent modulation of neuronal activity induced by tDCS. Mice (n = 9) were prepared for the chronic recording of LFPs to assess the actual electric field gradient imposed by Cb-tDCS in our experimental design. Single-neuron extracellular recording of PCs in awake (n = 24) and anesthetized (n = 27) mice was combined with juxtacellular recordings and subsequent staining of PC with neurobiotin under anesthesia (n = 8) to correlate their neuronal orientation with their response to Cb-tDCS. Finally, a high-density Neuropixels recording system was used to demonstrate the relevance of neuronal orientation during the application of Cb-tDCS in awake mice (n = 6). In this study, we observe that Cb-tDCS induces a heterogeneous polarity-dependent modulation of the firing rate of Purkinje cells (PC) and non-PC in the mouse cerebellar cortex. We demonstrate that the apparently heterogeneous effects of tDCS on PC activity can be explained by taking into account the somatodendritic orientation relative to the electric field. Our findings highlight the need to consider neuronal orientation and morphology to improve tDCS computational models, enhance stimulation protocol reliability, and optimize effects in both basic and clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Sánchez-León
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, Ctra. de Utrera, km. 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | | | - Marta Fernández
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles 90095, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa 48940, Spain
| | | | - Javier F Medina
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Javier Márquez-Ruiz
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, Ctra. de Utrera, km. 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jiang S, Jones M, von Bastian CC. TDCS over PPC or DLPFC does not improve visual working memory capacity. COMMUNICATIONS PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 2:20. [PMID: 39242793 PMCID: PMC11332112 DOI: 10.1038/s44271-024-00067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Non-invasive brain stimulation has been highlighted as a possible intervention to induce cognitive benefits, including on visual working memory (VWM). However, findings are inconsistent, possibly due to methodological issues. A recent high-profile study by Wang et al.1 reported that anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over posterior parietal cortex (PPC), but not over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), selectively improved VWM capacity but not precision, especially at a high VWM load. Thus, in the current pre-registered conceptual replication study, we accounted for the key potential methodological issues in the original study and tested an adequate number of participants required to demonstrate the previously reported effects (n = 48 compared to n = 20). Participants underwent counterbalanced PPC, DLPFC and sham stimulation before completing 360 trials of a continuous orientation-reproduction task with a slight variation of task stimuli and setup. We found no evidence for the selective effect of PPC stimulation. Instead, our results showed that tDCS effects were absent regardless of stimulation region and VWM load, which was largely supported by substantial to strong Bayesian evidence. Therefore, our results challenge previously reported benefits of single-session anodal PPC-tDCS on VWM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuangke Jiang
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Myles Jones
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Claudia C von Bastian
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Haque ZZ, Samandra R, Mansouri FA. Neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory: insights from brain stimulation studies. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:2038-2053. [PMID: 33881914 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00041.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of working memory refers to a collection of cognitive abilities and processes involved in the short-term storage of task-relevant information to guide the ongoing and upcoming behavior and therefore describes an important aspect of executive control of behavior for achieving goals. Deficits in working memory and related cognitive abilities have been observed in patients with brain damage or neuropsychological disorders and therefore it is important to better understand neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory. Working memory relies on neural mechanisms that enable encoding, maintenance, and manipulation of stored information as well as integrating them with ongoing and future goals. Recently, a surge in brain stimulation studies have led to development of various noninvasive techniques for localized stimulation of prefrontal and other cortical regions in humans. These brain stimulation techniques can potentially be tailored to influence neural activities in particular brain regions and modulate cognitive functions and behavior. Combined use of brain stimulation with neuroimaging and electrophysiological recording have provided a great opportunity to monitor neural activity in various brain regions and noninvasively intervene and modulate cognitive functions in cognitive tasks. These studies have shed more light on the neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory in humans. Here, we review findings and insight from these brain stimulation studies about the contribution of brain regions, and particularly prefrontal cortex, to working memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zakia Z Haque
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ranshikha Samandra
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Farshad Alizadeh Mansouri
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,ARC Centre for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Carvallo A, Modolo J, Benquet P, Lagarde S, Bartolomei F, Wendling F. Biophysical Modeling for Brain Tissue Conductivity Estimation Using SEEG Electrodes. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2019; 66:1695-1704. [DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2018.2877931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
5
|
Rahman A, Lafon B, Parra LC, Bikson M. Direct current stimulation boosts synaptic gain and cooperativity in vitro. J Physiol 2017; 595:3535-3547. [PMID: 28436038 DOI: 10.1113/jp273005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Direct current stimulation (DCS) polarity specifically modulates synaptic efficacy during a continuous train of presynaptic inputs, despite synaptic depression. DCS polarizes afferent axons and postsynaptic neurons, boosting cooperativity between synaptic inputs. Polarization of afferent neurons in upstream brain regions may modulate activity in the target brain region during transcranial DCS (tDCS). A statistical theory of coincident activity predicts that the diffuse and weak profile of current flow can be advantageous in enhancing connectivity between co-active brain regions. ABSTRACT Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) produces sustained and diffuse current flow in the brain with effects that are state dependent and outlast stimulation. A mechanistic explanation for tDCS should capture these spatiotemporal features. It remains unclear how sustained DCS affects ongoing synaptic dynamics and how modulation of afferent inputs by diffuse stimulation changes synaptic activity at the target brain region. We tested the effect of acute DCS (10-20 V m-1 for 3-5 s) on synaptic dynamics with constant rate (5-40 Hz) and Poisson-distributed (4 Hz mean) trains of presynaptic inputs. Across tested frequencies, sustained synaptic activity was modulated by DCS with polarity-specific effects. Synaptic depression attenuates the sensitivity to DCS from 1.1% per V m-1 to 0.55%. DCS applied during synaptic activity facilitates cumulative neuromodulation, potentially reversing endogenous synaptic depression. We establish these effects are mediated by both postsynaptic membrane polarization and afferent axon fibre polarization, which boosts cooperativity between synaptic inputs. This potentially extends the locus of neuromodulation from the nominal target to afferent brain regions. Based on these results we hypothesized the polarization of afferent neurons in upstream brain regions may modulate activity in the target brain region during tDCS. A multiscale model of transcranial electrical stimulation including a finite element model of brain current flow, numerical simulations of neuronal activity, and a statistical theory of coincident activity predicts that the diffuse and weak profile of current flow can be advantageous. Thus, we propose that specifically because tDCS is diffuse, weak and sustained it can boost connectivity between co-active brain regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asif Rahman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, Steinman Hall, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Belen Lafon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, Steinman Hall, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Lucas C Parra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, Steinman Hall, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, Steinman Hall, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lewis PM, Thomson RH, Rosenfeld JV, Fitzgerald PB. Brain Neuromodulation Techniques. Neuroscientist 2016; 22:406-21. [DOI: 10.1177/1073858416646707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The modulation of brain function via the application of weak direct current was first observed directly in the early 19th century. In the past 3 decades, transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation have undergone clinical translation, offering alternatives to pharmacological treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Further development of novel neuromodulation techniques employing ultrasound, micro-scale magnetic fields and optogenetics is being propelled by a rapidly improving understanding of the clinical and experimental applications of artificially stimulating or depressing brain activity in human health and disease. With the current rapid growth in neuromodulation technologies and applications, it is timely to review the genesis of the field and the current state of the art in this area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip M. Lewis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Surgery, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard H. Thomson
- Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld
- Department of Neurosurgery, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Surgery, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paul B. Fitzgerald
- Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Synthetic tactile perception induced by transcranial alternating-current stimulation can substitute for natural sensory stimulus in behaving rabbits. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19753. [PMID: 26790614 PMCID: PMC4726368 DOI: 10.1038/srep19753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of brain-derived signals for controlling external devices has long attracted the attention from neuroscientists and engineers during last decades. Although much effort has been dedicated to establishing effective brain-to-computer communication, computer-to-brain communication feedback for “closing the loop” is now becoming a major research theme. While intracortical microstimulation of the sensory cortex has already been successfully used for this purpose, its future application in humans partly relies on the use of non-invasive brain stimulation technologies. In the present study, we explore the potential use of transcranial alternating-current stimulation (tACS) for synthetic tactile perception in alert behaving animals. More specifically, we determined the effects of tACS on sensory local field potentials (LFPs) and motor output and tested its capability for inducing tactile perception using classical eyeblink conditioning in the behaving animal. We demonstrated that tACS of the primary somatosensory cortex vibrissa area could indeed substitute natural stimuli during training in the associative learning paradigm.
Collapse
|