Endogenous neuromodulation at infralow frequencies

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Bioelectrical Engineering
• Neurorehabilitation

Background:

• Neuromodulation offers potential for addressing functional deficits.
• Exogenous methods like TMS, tDCS, VNS, and DBS have received significant attention.
• Endogenous methods exploiting brain plasticity remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of endogenous neuromodulation techniques.
• To discuss the application of infralow frequencies for neuroregulation.
• To emphasize the suitability of these methods for pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• Exploitation of infralow frequencies over the past 7 years.
• Focus on endogenous methods that leverage latent brain plasticity.
• Putative mechanism involving renormalization of resting-state network functional connectivity.

Main Results:

• Infralow frequency stimulation has been productively used for enhancing neuroregulation.
• Evidence suggests a mechanism of renormalizing functional connectivity in resting-state networks.
• These endogenous techniques are maturing and warrant further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Endogenous neuromodulation, particularly using infralow frequencies, presents a promising avenue for remediation of functional deficits.
• Renormalizing functional connectivity is a key mechanism.
• These techniques are particularly attractive for early intervention in pediatric populations to prevent the consolidation of dysfunctional brain patterns.