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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
10:08
Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation in Alert Rodents
Published on: November 2, 2017
10.8K
Targeting intracranial electrical stimulation to network regions defined within individuals causes network-level
Christopher Cyr1, Ania M Holubecki1, Lingxiao Shi1
1Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|August 6, 2025
Summary
Precision functional mapping (PFM) helps target intracranial electrical stimulation (ES) to specific brain networks. This approach optimizes therapeutic and diagnostic outcomes by identifying optimal stimulation sites for network modulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurosurgery
- Brain Network Analysis
Background:
- Intracranial electrical stimulation (ES) is crucial for therapeutic, diagnostic, and research purposes in neuroscience.
- Current understanding of brain network-level effects of ES is limited, hindering precise application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the network-level effects of intracranial electrical stimulation (ES).
- To determine if precision functional mapping (PFM) can identify optimal sites for targeted network modulation.
Main Methods:
- Applied PFM using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to define large-scale brain networks in epilepsy patients.
- Administered single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES) and high-frequency electrical stimulation (HFES) at various sites.
- Correlated stimulation sites with PFM-defined network regions and observed responses.
Main Results:
- SPES and high-frequency electrical stimulation (HFES) were more effective when applied near PFM-defined network regions.
- Network-level effects were enhanced when stimulating white matter sites close to the target network and within its predominant area.
- Network-specific modulation was achievable with lower current intensities at identified 'sweet spots'.
Conclusions:
- PFM can identify functional anatomic "sweet spots" for precise intracranial electrical stimulation.
- Targeting ES to these PFM-identified sites enables specific brain network modulation.
- This approach holds promise for optimizing ES therapies and research applications.
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