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Personalizing the Electrode to Neuromodulate an Extended Cortical Region
A Cancelli1, C Cottone2, M Di Giorgio3
1Laboratory of Electrophysiology for Translational neuroScience (LET'S) - ISTC - CNR, Department of Neuroscience, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Rome, Italy; Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences & Orthopaedics, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Personalized electrodes for transcranial electric stimulation (tES) enhance neuromodulation of hand motor cortex. Standard electrodes were less effective for hand but equally effective for leg motor cortex stimulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuromodulation
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Individual variability in brain anatomy necessitates personalized approaches in neuromodulation.
- Transcranial electric stimulation (tES) parameters, like electrode geometry, can be optimized for individual differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of personalized versus non-personalized electrodes for neuromodulating the primary motor cortex (M1).
- To determine if electrode personalization is required for targeted neuromodulation of upper and lower limb representations in M1.
Main Methods:
- A neuronavigation procedure was used to create personalized electrodes (35 cm²) matching individual central sulcus projections.
- Non-personalized electrodes were standardized based on the EEG 10-20 system (C3-CZ-C4).
- Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 20 Hz was applied, and motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from hand and leg representations were recorded using TMS.
Main Results:
- Both personalized and non-personalized electrodes increased cortical excitability for leg representation.
- Personalized electrodes selectively enhanced excitability in the hand representation, unlike non-personalized ones.
- These effects were consistent bilaterally for both hand and leg representations.
Conclusions:
- Personalized electrode geometry is crucial for effectively neuromodulating specific cortical targets like the hand representation in M1.
- Non-personalized electrodes may not achieve targeted neuromodulation for all cortical areas.
- Findings support the development of individualized neuromodulation techniques to address variations in brain networks.
