Neuromodulatory Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor Excitability in Rats
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique for modulating neural plasticity and is considered to have therapeutic potential in neurological disorders. For the purpose of translational neuroscience research, a suitable animal model can be ideal for providing a stable condition for identifying mechanisms that can help to explore therapeutic strategies. Here, we developed a tDCS protocol for modulating motor excitability in anesthetized rats. To examine the responses of tDCS-elicited plasticity, the motor evoked potential (MEP) and MEP input-output (IO) curve elicited by epidural motor cortical electrical stimulus were evaluated at baseline and after 30 min of anodal tDCS or cathodal tDCS. Furthermore, a paired-pulse cortical electrical stimulus was applied to assess changes in the inhibitory network by measuring long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) before and after tDCS. In the results, analogous to those observed in humans, the present study demonstrates long-term potentiation- (LTP-) and long-term depression- (LTD-) like plasticity can be induced by tDCS protocol in anesthetized rats. We found that the MEPs were significantly enhanced immediately after anodal tDCS at 0.1 mA and 0.8 mA and remained enhanced for 30 min. Similarly, MEPs were suppressed immediately after cathodal tDCS at 0.8 mA and lasted for 30 min. No effect was noted on the MEP magnitude under sham tDCS stimulation. Furthermore, the IO curve slope was elevated following anodal tDCS and presented a trend toward diminished slope after cathodal tDCS. No significant differences in the LICI ratio of pre- to post-tDCS were observed. These results indicated that developed tDCS schemes can produce consistent, rapid, and controllable electrophysiological changes in corticomotor excitability in rats. This newly developed tDCS animal model could be useful to further explore mechanical insights and may serve as a translational platform bridging human and animal studies, establishing new therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders.
Source: Neural Plasticity
DOI: 10.1155/2019/4252943
Institutions: Sun Yat-sen University, Chang Gung University, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard University, National Central University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,830
Awards: G1340465071, G1343766969, G138976288, G1537982354, G1748215653, G1897437914, G2215482782, G2256192980, Exploring Neuromodulation Effects of Low Intensity Non-Thermal Transcranial Focused Ultrasound on Motor Circuits in Animals and Humans, G2779288157, G2792484563, Deciphering Physiological and Therapeutic Roles of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs) in Motor and Cognitive Impairments Using Parkinsonian Rat Model, G2896721652, G3283090920, G3475201547, G397305136, G4013339796, G424397077, Pre-Clinical Trial Evaluation of Ultrasound Neurotrophic Gene Delivery Therapy in Parkinson’S Disease( II ), G4262827933, G4316554228, G4332750596, G4335636685, G4457789497, G4479725520, G4577054670, Deciphering the Neuromodulation and Therapeutic Effects of Novel Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (Tacs) in Traumatic Brain Injury Animal Model, G4913812883, G5393528396, G5563719332, G6004722962, G6072788952, G6476676276, G6548090474, G6623892530, Pre-Clinical Trial Evaluation of Ultrasound Neurotrophic Gene Delivery Therapy in Parkinson’S Disease(III), Development of Quantitative and Therapeutic System of Spasticity in Children with Cerebral Palsy, G7112184581, G7300232423, G7313164240, G7345112776, G7619056789, G7717619356, G7869411555, G7877989732, G8088518732, G8156418270, G8197188243, G8469646966, G8654826018
OpenAlex ID: W2996666137