tDCS – Transcranial or transcutaneous direct current stimulation?
Description: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation method in which direct current is passed through scalp electrodes. Current flows through the scalp, skull and CSF before creating a weak electric field in the brain and causing membrane polarization in cortical neurons. Over the last 20 years, thousands of studies have highlighted wide ranging tDCS effects in healthy volunteers. tDCS is now under investigation as a potential treatment for addiction, depression and cognitive decline. However, the tDCS mechanism(s) remain unknown. The aim of my PhD project is to investigate/understand potential mechanisms which may be driving the tDCS effects observed in healthy volunteers. In addition to the neuromodulatory effects caused by direct polarization of cortical neurons, tDCS stimulates cranial and cervical nerves in the scalp that give input to the brain. Potential effects from this indirect tDCS neuromodulatory route have been overlooked. I will use healthy volunteer motor skill experiments to investigate a range of tDCS mechanisms. Firstly, experiments will use careful controls, such as pharmacological blockers, to probe/dissect the potential tDCS mechanisms. Secondly, the effectiveness of tDCS will be compared to standard cranial nerve stimulation. Finally, the newly gained mechanistic knowledge will be used design and evaluate more effective and robust tDCS methods that will significantly advance the neuromodulation field.
Funder: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
Funding type: grant
Funder scheme: FWO Strategic Basic Research Grant
Start date: 2020-11-01
End date: 2022-10-31
Investigators: Silke Kerstens, Myles Mc Laughlin
Institution: FWO
Funded outputs count: 3
Funder award ID: 1S32421N
OpenAlex ID: G3967316632