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In Vivo Intracellular Recording of Type-Identified Rat Spinal Motoneurons During Trans-Spinal Direct Current Stimulation
Published on: May 11, 2020
Trans-spinal direct current stimulation modulates motor cortex-induced muscle contraction in mice
1Department of Physical Therapy and Neuroscience Program, The College of Staten Island/City University of New York, Staten Island, NY, USA. zaghloul.ahmed@csi.cuny.edu
Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|February 26, 2011
Summary
Trans-spinal direct current (tsDC) modulates nerve activity and muscle contractions. Anodal tsDC increases firing rate, while cathodal tsDC enhances rhythmicity, impacting corticospinal excitability.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Neuromodulation
Background:
- Spinal cord excitability influences motor control.
- Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques offer potential therapeutic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of trans-spinal direct current (tsDC) on tibial nerve activity and triceps surae (TS) muscle contractions.
- To examine the combined effects of tsDC and repetitive cortical electrical stimulation (rCES).
Main Methods:
- Application of anodal and cathodal tsDC via subcutaneous electrodes.
- Measurement of spontaneous tibial nerve activity and cortically elicited TS muscle twitches.
- Combined stimulation with rCES.
Main Results:
- Anodal tsDC increased spontaneous discharge frequency and amplitude; cathodal tsDC increased rhythmicity.
- Anodal tsDC depressed TS twitches during stimulation, with potentiation post-stimulation.
- Cathodal tsDC enhanced TS twitches during stimulation, with depression post-stimulation.
- Combined cathodal tsDC and rCES yielded the greatest increase in TS twitches.
Conclusions:
- tsDC effectively modulates spinal cord excitability and corticospinal transmission.
- Different tsDC polarities produce distinct effects on neural and motor responses.
- Combined tsDC and rCES may offer enhanced neuromodulatory effects.
