Lasting effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the inducibility of synaptic plasticity by paired-associative stimulation in humans

Abstract: Background
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is capable of eliciting changes in cortical neuroplasticity. Increasing duration or repetition of tDCS during the after-effects of a first stimulation has been hypothesized to enhance efficacy. Computational models suggest sequential stimulation patterns with changing polarities to further enhance effects. Lasting tDCS effects on neural plasticity are of great importance for clinical applications.

Objective
The study systematically examined the influence of different tDCS paradigms on long term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity in humans, focusing on stimulation duration, repetition frequency and sequential combinations of changing polarities as the underlying characteristics.

Methods
Amplitude changes of motor evoked potentials (MEP) were measured in response to paired associative stimulation (PAS) 6 h after application of different tDCS protocols. In total, 36 healthy participants completed the study, randomised into three groups with different stimulation protocols (N = 12 each).

Results
tDCS was able to display lasting modulatory effects on the inducibility of LTP-like plasticity in the human motor cortex 6 h after stimulation. TDCS with the anode on primary motor cortex significantly increased MEP amplitudes following PAS induction. Further analyses highlighted single stimulation block duration to be of higher importance than repetitive protocols for efficacy of effects.

Conclusions
tDCS is capable of inducing lasting changes in the brain’s capability to interact with future stimuli. Especially, effects on the inducibility of LTP-like plasticity might only be detectable with specific tests such as PAS and might otherwise be overlooked. Refined tDCS protocols should focus on higher current and duration of single stimulations instead of implementing complex repetitive schedules

Angaben zum Objekt

• Standort: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Umfang: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: Englisch
• Anmerkungen: Journal of neuroEngineering and rehabilitation. - 21, 1 (2024) , 162, ISSN: 1743-0003

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Medizin, Gesundheit

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wo): Freiburg
• (wer): Universität
• (wann): 2024
• Urheber: Vestring, Stefan ; Wolf, Elias ; Dinkelacker, Johanna ; Frase, Sibylle ; Hessling-Zeinen, Carolin ; Insan, Shrabon ; Kumlehn, Maral M. ; Feige, Bernd ; Domschke, Katharina ; Normann, Claus ; Frase, Lukas

Weitere Informationen

• DOI: 10.1186/s12984-024-01459-x
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2571289
• Rechteinformation: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 25.03.2025, 13:48 MEZ