Novel bifunctional cap for simultaneous electroencephalography and transcranial electrical stimulation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) shows promise for clinical neuromodulation, but its mechanisms require further investigation.
• Simultaneous TES and electroencephalography (EEG) can elucidate these mechanisms and general brain function.
• Conventional TES-EEG methods face limitations in electrode-skin interface and usability, hindering reproducibility and preparation time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and verify a novel bifunctional cap for simultaneous TES-EEG applications.
• To overcome limitations of conventional TES-EEG setups using integrated textile and dry electrodes.
• To assess the cap's functionality by analyzing TES effects on visual evoked potentials (VEPs).

Main Methods:

• Development of a flexible, bifunctional cap integrating textile stimulation electrodes and dry EEG electrodes.
• Simultaneous TES and EEG recording during visual stimulation.
• Analysis of visual evoked potentials (VEPs), specifically N75 and P100 components, to assess TES effects.

Main Results:

• The novel cap successfully enabled simultaneous TES-EEG, demonstrating feasibility.
• A significant decrease in the N75 component amplitude was observed post-stimulation, consistent with prior studies.
• A significant reduction in the P100 component amplitude occurred only during TES, suggesting distinct modulation effects during and after stimulation.

Conclusions:

• The developed bifunctional cap is a viable tool for simultaneous TES-EEG applications.
• This innovation facilitates clinical research, therapy monitoring, and closed-loop stimulation.
• The findings highlight the cap's potential to advance understanding of brain modulation.