Work

Transcranial alternating current stimulation can disrupt or reestablish neural entrainment in parkinsonian motor cortex

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: In Parkinson's disease, motor network electrophysiology frequently exhibits excessive beta oscillations. The cornerstone of therapeutic efficacy lies in the ability to modulate these pathological oscillations. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), a non-invasive method that applies oscillating electric fields to modulate ongoing brain activity, offers a promising approach. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the manuscript is to investigate the dose-dependent effects of tACS on motor network cortical neurons in a Parkinson's disease model. METHODS: We recorded neuronal spike activity in the motor cortex in parkinsonian non-human primates during tACS to determine how stimulation-induced electric fields affect spike timing. RESULTS: Strong electric fields entrained neural activity at the stimulation frequency but altered the preferred spiking phase. Conversely, weak fields disrupted beta-band synchronization by modulating spike timing and phase preference. Frequency-matched stimulation significantly enhanced entrainment when aligned with endogenous oscillatory activity. CONCLUSION: Thus, with appropriately chosen stimulation parameters, tACS exhibits significant potential for controlling and modulating pathological oscillatory patterns that are characteristic of many neurological disorders.

Source: Brain stimulation

DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2026.103045