Combining functional magnetic resonance imaging with transcranial electrical stimulation.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuromodulation
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) encompasses techniques like transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), and transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS).
• These methods modulate cortical excitability, influencing behavior and brain activity.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offers insights into global brain effects and inter-regional functional interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review studies combining tES with fMRI.
• To present current approaches and findings in this integrated research area.
• To discuss the synergistic potential of combining electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of literature combining tES (tDCS, tACS, tRNS) with fMRI.
• Analysis of studies investigating neuromodulatory effects on brain activity and functional connectivity.
• Comparison of findings from electrophysiological measures and fMRI.

Main Results:

• Combined tES-fMRI studies reveal widespread effects of neuromodulation on brain networks.
• fMRI complements electrophysiological data by illustrating global brain modulation and altered functional connectivity.
• Different tES types show distinct patterns of brain activity modulation.

Conclusions:

• Combining tES with fMRI provides a powerful approach to understand neuromodulation.
• This integrated methodology enhances our comprehension of brain-wide effects and functional network dynamics.
• Future research can leverage tES-fMRI to advance both basic neuroscience and therapeutic applications.