[Changes in the brain spontaneous bioelectrical activity during transcranial electrical and electromagnetic...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Neurology

Context:

• Investigating systemic brain responses to transcranial electrical or electromagnetic stimulation.
• Assessing neurophysiological markers for stimulation efficacy.
• Analyzing spontaneous bioelectrical activity and clinical outcomes.

Purpose:

• To determine the relationship between baseline electroencephalogram (EEG) coherence and the effectiveness of transcranial stimulation.
• To identify neurophysiological criteria for optimizing stimulation in patients with cerebral pathology.

Summary:

• A comparative study involved 6 patients with prolonged posttraumatic unconsciousness and 17 Wistar rats undergoing brain stimulation.
• Results indicate that transcranial stimulation's effect is contingent upon the initial level of intercentral interactions, measured by EEG coherence.
• Hypersynchronization of biopotentials, indicative of brain reactivity, is most beneficial for rehabilitation when intercentral interactions are initially low and pathological connections are absent.

Impact:

• Provides insights into optimizing neuromodulation techniques for neurological rehabilitation.
• Highlights the importance of assessing baseline brain network function before applying transcranial stimulation.
• Suggests a potential therapeutic strategy for improving outcomes in patients with severe brain injury and reduced connectivity.