Transcranial direct current stimulation increases resting state interhemispheric connectivity.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Neuromodulation

Background:

• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique used to study human brain function.
• tDCS applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is known to enhance cognitive functions in healthy individuals and those with neuropsychiatric disorders.
• The precise neural mechanisms underlying tDCS effects on the DLPFC remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural correlates of tDCS applied to the left DLPFC.
• To examine changes in resting-state functional connectivity following tDCS.
• To compare the effects of real tDCS versus sham stimulation on brain network organization.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data before and after stimulation.
• Real or sham tDCS applied to the left DLPFC.
• Comparison of resting-state functional connectivity patterns between the tDCS and sham groups.

Main Results:

• The tDCS group exhibited increased functional connectivity between the left DLPFC and the right hemisphere compared to the sham group.
• The tDCS group showed decreased functional connectivity between the left DLPFC and adjacent regions in the left hemisphere.
• These connectivity changes occurred at rest following tDCS application.

Conclusions:

• tDCS applied to the DLPFC can modulate functional brain connectivity.
• The findings suggest that tDCS may promote interhemispheric communication even during resting states.
• These observed neural changes may underlie the behavioral improvements associated with DLPFC tDCS.