Linked Life Data

17251360

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/17251360

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2007-4-5
pubmed:abstractText
Transcranial DC stimulation (tDCS) induces stimulation polarity-dependent neuroplastic excitability shifts in the human brain. Because it accomplishes long-lasting effects and its application is simple, it is used increasingly. However, one drawback is its low focality, caused by 1) the large stimulation electrode and 2) the functionally effective reference electrode, which is also situated on the scalp. We aimed to increase the focality of tDCS, which might improve the interpretation of the functional effects of stimulation because it will restrict its effects to more clearly defined cortical areas. Moreover, it will avoid unwanted reversed effects of tDCS under the reference electrode, which is of special importance in clinical settings, when a homogeneous shift of cortical excitability is needed. Because current density (current strength/electrode size) determines the efficacy of tDCS, increased focality should be accomplished by 1) reducing stimulation electrode size, but keeping current density constant; or 2) increasing reference electrode size under constant current strength. We tested these hypotheses for motor cortex tDCS. The results show that reducing the size of the motor cortex DC-stimulation electrode focalized the respective tDCS-induced excitability changes. Increasing the size of the frontopolar reference electrode rendered stimulation over this cortex functionally inefficient, but did not compromise the tDCS-generated motor cortical excitability shifts. Thus tDCS-generated modulations of cortical excitability can be focused by reducing the size of the stimulation electrode and by increasing the size of the reference electrode. For future applications of tDCS, such paradigms may help to achieve more selective tDCS effects.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0022-3077
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
97
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
3109-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2007
pubmed:articleTitle
Shaping the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation of the human motor cortex.
pubmed:affiliation
Department for Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany. mnitsch1@gwdg.de
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't