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Soleimani G, Kupliki R, Paulus M, Ekhtiari H. Dose-response in modulating brain function with transcranial direct current stimulation: From local to network levels. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011572. [PMID: 37883583 PMCID: PMC10629666 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dose-response relationship is crucial in studying the effects of brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The dose-response relationship refers to the relationship between the received stimulation dose and the resulting response, which can be described as a function of the dose at various levels, including single/multiple neurons, clusters, regions, or networks. Here, we are focused on the received stimulation dose obtained from computational head models and brain responses which are quantified by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. In this randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial, we recruited sixty participants with methamphetamine use disorders (MUDs) as a sample clinical population who were randomly assigned to receive either sham or active tDCS. Structural and functional MRI data, including high-resolution T1 and T2-weighted MRI, resting-state functional MRI, and a methamphetamine cue-reactivity task fMRI, were acquired before and after tDCS. Individual head models were generated using the T1 and T2-weighted MRI data to simulate electric fields. In a linear approach, we investigated the associations between electric fields (received dose) and changes in brain function (response) at four different levels: voxel level, regional level (using atlas-based parcellation), cluster level (identifying active clusters), and network level (task-based functional connectivity). At the voxel level, regional level, and cluster level, no FDR-corrected significant correlation was observed between changes in functional activity and electric fields. However, at the network level, a significant positive correlation was found between frontoparietal connectivity and the electric field at the frontopolar stimulation site (r = 0.42, p corrected = 0.02; medium effect size). Our proposed pipeline offers a methodological framework for analyzing tDCS effects by exploring dose-response relationships at different levels, enabling a direct link between electric field variability and the neural response to tDCS. The results indicate that network-based analysis provides valuable insights into the dependency of tDCS neuromodulatory effects on the individual's regional current dose. Integration of dose-response relationships can inform dose optimization, customization, or the extraction of predictive/treatment-response biomarkers in future brain stimulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazaleh Soleimani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Rayus Kupliki
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Martin Paulus
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Hamed Ekhtiari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America
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2
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Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in depression induces structural plasticity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2841. [PMID: 36801903 PMCID: PMC9938111 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29792-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique involving administration of well-tolerated electrical current to the brain through scalp electrodes. TDCS may improve symptoms in neuropsychiatric disorders, but mixed results from recent clinical trials underscore the need to demonstrate that tDCS can modulate clinically relevant brain systems over time in patients. Here, we analyzed longitudinal structural MRI data from a randomized, double-blind, parallel-design clinical trial in depression (NCT03556124, N = 59) to investigate whether serial tDCS individually targeted to the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can induce neurostructural changes. Significant (FWEc p < 0.05) treatment-related gray matter changes were observed with active high-definition (HD) tDCS relative to sham tDCS within the left DLPFC stimulation target. No changes were observed with active conventional tDCS. A follow-up analysis within individual treatment groups revealed significant gray matter increases with active HD-tDCS in brain regions functionally connected with the stimulation target, including the bilateral DLPFC, bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and the right hippocampus, thalamus and left caudate brain regions. Integrity of blinding was verified, no significant differences in stimulation-related discomfort were observed between treatment groups, and tDCS treatments were not augmented by any other adjunct treatments. Overall, these results demonstrate that serial HD-tDCS leads to neurostructural changes at a predetermined brain target in depression and suggest that such plasticity effects may propagate over brain networks.
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Jwa AS, Goodman JS, Glover GH. Inconsistencies in mapping current distribution in transcranial direct current stimulation. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 1:1069500. [PMID: 37555148 PMCID: PMC10406311 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2022.1069500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION tDCS is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that has been widely studied both as a therapy for neuropsychiatric diseases and for cognitive enhancement. However, recent meta-analyses have reported significant inconsistencies amongst tDCS studies. Enhancing empirical understanding of current flow in the brain may help elucidate some of these inconsistencies. METHODS We investigated tDCS-induced current distribution by injecting a low frequency current waveform in a phantom and in vivo. MR phase images were collected during the stimulation and a time-series analysis was used to reconstruct the magnetic field. A current distribution map was derived from the field map using Ampere's law. RESULTS The current distribution map in the phantom showed a clear path of current flow between the two electrodes, with more than 75% of the injected current accounted for. However, in brain, the results did evidence a current path between the two target electrodes but only some portion ( 25%) of injected current reached the cortex demonstrating that a significant fraction of the current is bypassing the brain and traveling from one electrode to the other external to the brain, probably due to conductivity differences in brain tissue types. Substantial inter-subject and intra-subject (across consecutive scans) variability in current distribution maps were also observed in human but not in phantom scans. DISCUSSIONS An in-vivo current mapping technique proposed in this study demonstrated that much of the injected current in tDCS was not accounted for in human brain and deviated to the edge of the brain. These findings would have ramifications in the use of tDCS as a neuromodulator and may help explain some of the inconsistencies reported in other studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita S. Jwa
- Stanford University Law School, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan S. Goodman
- Program in Biophysics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Gary H. Glover
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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Nasimova M, Huang Y. Applications of open-source software ROAST in clinical studies: A review. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:1002-1010. [PMID: 35843597 PMCID: PMC9378654 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) is broadly investigated as a therapeutic technique for a wide range of neurological disorders. The electric fields induced by TES in the brain can be estimated by computational models. A realistic and volumetric approach to simulate TES (ROAST) has been recently released as an open-source software package and has been widely used in TES research and its clinical applications. Rigor and reproducibility of TES studies have recently become a concern, especially in the context of computational modeling. METHODS Here we reviewed 94 clinical TES studies that leveraged ROAST for computational modeling. When reviewing each study, we pay attention to details related to the rigor and reproducibility as defined by the locations of stimulation electrodes and the dose of stimulating current. Specifically, we compared across studies the electrode montages, stimulated brain areas, achieved electric field strength, and the relations between modeled electric field and clinical outcomes. RESULTS We found that over 1800 individual heads have been modeled by ROAST for more than 30 different clinical applications. Similar electric field intensities were found to be reproducible by ROAST across different studies at the same brain area under same or similar stimulation montages. CONCLUSION This article reviews the use cases of ROAST and provides an overview of how ROAST has been leveraged to enhance the rigor and reproducibility of TES research and its applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohigul Nasimova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Yu Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA; Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Leaver AM, Gonzalez S, Vasavada M, Kubicki A, Jog M, Wang DJJ, Woods RP, Espinoza R, Gollan J, Parrish T, Narr KL. Modulation of Brain Networks during MR-Compatible Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. Neuroimage 2022; 250:118874. [PMID: 35017127 PMCID: PMC9623807 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can influence performance on behavioral tasks and improve symptoms of brain conditions. Yet, it remains unclear precisely how tDCS affects brain function and connectivity. Here, we measured changes in functional connectivity (FC) metrics in blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI data acquired during MR-compatible tDCS in a whole-brain analysis with corrections for false discovery rate. Volunteers (n=64) received active tDCS, sham tDCS, and rest (no stimulation), using one of three previously established electrode tDCS montages targeting left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, n=37), lateral temporoparietal area (LTA, n=16), or superior temporal cortex (STC, n=11). In brain networks where simulated E field was highest in each montage, connectivity with remote nodes decreased during active tDCS. During active DLPFC-tDCS, connectivity decreased between a fronto-parietal network and subgenual ACC, while during LTA-tDCS connectivity decreased between an auditory-somatomotor network and frontal operculum. Active DLPFC-tDCS was also associated with increased connectivity within an orbitofrontal network overlapping subgenual ACC. Irrespective of montage, FC metrics increased in sensorimotor and attention regions during both active and sham tDCS, which may reflect the cognitive-perceptual demands of tDCS. Taken together, these results indicate that tDCS may have both intended and unintended effects on ongoing brain activity, stressing the importance of including sham, stimulation-absent, and active comparators in basic science and clinical trials of tDCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber M Leaver
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611; Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095.
| | - Sara Gonzalez
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Megha Vasavada
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Antoni Kubicki
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Mayank Jog
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Danny J J Wang
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA 90033
| | - Roger P Woods
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Randall Espinoza
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Jacqueline Gollan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611
| | - Todd Parrish
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611
| | - Katherine L Narr
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
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Gebodh N, Esmaeilpour Z, Datta A, Bikson M. Dataset of concurrent EEG, ECG, and behavior with multiple doses of transcranial electrical stimulation. Sci Data 2021; 8:274. [PMID: 34707095 PMCID: PMC8551279 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-01046-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a dataset combining human-participant high-density electroencephalography (EEG) with physiological and continuous behavioral metrics during transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). Data include within participant application of nine High-Definition tES (HD-tES) types, targeting three cortical regions (frontal, motor, parietal) with three stimulation waveforms (DC, 5 Hz, 30 Hz); more than 783 total stimulation trials over 62 sessions with EEG, physiological (ECG, EOG), and continuous behavioral vigilance/alertness metrics. Experiment 1 and 2 consisted of participants performing a continuous vigilance/alertness task over three 70-minute and two 70.5-minute sessions, respectively. Demographic data were collected, as well as self-reported wellness questionnaires before and after each session. Participants received all 9 stimulation types in Experiment 1, with each session including three stimulation types, with 4 trials per type. Participants received two stimulation types in Experiment 2, with 20 trials of a given stimulation type per session. Within-participant reliability was tested by repeating select sessions. This unique dataset supports a range of hypothesis testing including interactions of tDCS/tACS location and frequency, brain-state, physiology, fatigue, and cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel Gebodh
- The Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, USA.
- Soterix Medical Inc., New York, USA.
| | - Zeinab Esmaeilpour
- The Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Marom Bikson
- The Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, USA
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Göksu C, Scheffler K, Gregersen F, Eroğlu HH, Heule R, Siebner HR, Hanson LG, Thielscher A. Sensitivity and resolution improvement for in vivo magnetic resonance current-density imaging of the human brain. Magn Reson Med 2021; 86:3131-3146. [PMID: 34337785 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Magnetic resonance current-density imaging (MRCDI) combines MRI with low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation (TES; 1-2 mA) to map current flow in the brain. However, usage of MRCDI is still hampered by low measurement sensitivity and image quality. METHODS Recently, a multigradient-echo-based MRCDI approach has been introduced that presently has the best-documented efficiency. This MRCDI approach has now been advanced in three directions and has been validated by phantom and in vivo experiments. First, the importance of optimum spoiling for brain imaging was verified. Second, the sensitivity and spatial resolution were improved by using acquisition weighting. Third, navigators were added as a quality control measure for tracking physiological noise. Combining these advancements, the optimized MRCDI method was tested by using 1 mA TES for two different injection profiles. RESULTS For a session duration of 4:20 min, the new MRCDI method was able to detect TES-induced magnetic fields at a sensitivity level of 84 picotesla, representing a twofold efficiency increase against our original method. A comparison between measurements and simulations based on personalized head models showed a consistent increase in the coefficient of determination of ΔR2 = 0.12 for the current-induced magnetic fields and ΔR2 = 0.22 for the current flow reconstructions. Interestingly, some of the simulations still clearly deviated from the measurements despite the strongly improved measurement quality. This highlights the utility of MRCDI to improve head models for TES simulations. CONCLUSION The achieved sensitivity improvement is an important step from proof-of-concept studies toward a broader application of MRCDI in clinical and basic neuroscience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cihan Göksu
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital-Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,High-Field Magnetic Resonance Center, Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Scheffler
- High-Field Magnetic Resonance Center, Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fróði Gregersen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital-Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Magnetic Resonance, DTU Health Tech, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hasan H Eroğlu
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital-Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Magnetic Resonance, DTU Health Tech, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rahel Heule
- High-Field Magnetic Resonance Center, Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hartwig R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital-Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Denmark.,Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars G Hanson
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital-Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Magnetic Resonance, DTU Health Tech, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Axel Thielscher
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital-Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Magnetic Resonance, DTU Health Tech, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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In-vivo imaging of targeting and modulation of depression-relevant circuitry by transcranial direct current stimulation: a randomized clinical trial. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:138. [PMID: 33627624 PMCID: PMC7904813 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01264-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent clinical trials of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in depression have shown contrasting results. Consequently, we used in-vivo neuroimaging to confirm targeting and modulation of depression-relevant neural circuitry by tDCS. Depressed participants (N = 66, Baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) 17-item scores ≥14 and <24) were randomized into Active/Sham and High-definition (HD)/Conventional (Conv) tDCS groups using a double-blind, parallel design, and received tDCS individually targeted at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In accordance with Ampere's Law, tDCS currents were hypothesized to induce magnetic fields at the stimulation-target, measured in real-time using dual-echo echo-planar-imaging (DE-EPI) MRI. Additionally, the tDCS treatment trial (consisting of 12 daily 20-min sessions) was hypothesized to induce cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes post-treatment at the DLPFC target and in the reciprocally connected anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), measured using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) MRI. Significant tDCS current-induced magnetic fields were observed at the left DLPFC target for both active stimulation montages (Brodmann's area (BA) 46: pHD = 0.048, Cohen's dHD = 0.73; pConv = 0.018, dConv = 0.86; BA 9: pHD = 0.011, dHD = 0.92; pConv = 0.022, dConv = 0.83). Significant longitudinal CBF increases were observed (a) at the left DLPFC stimulation-target for both active montages (pHD = 3.5E-3, dHD = 0.98; pConv = 2.8E-3, dConv = 1.08), and (b) at ACC for the HD-montage only (pHD = 2.4E-3, dHD = 1.06; pConv = 0.075, dConv = 0.64). These results confirm that tDCS-treatment (a) engages the stimulation-target, and (b) modulates depression-relevant neural circuitry in depressed participants, with stronger network-modulations induced by the HD-montage. Although not primary outcomes, active HD-tDCS showed significant improvements of anhedonia relative to sham, though HDRS scores did not differ significantly between montages post-treatment.
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