Targeting intracranial electrical stimulation to network regions defined within individuals causes network-level...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurosurgery
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Intracranial electrical stimulation (ES) is a key tool in neuroscience and clinical practice.
• Understanding the network-level effects of ES is crucial but remains limited.
• Individualized brain network mapping is needed to refine ES applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how precision functional mapping (PFM) can guide intracranial electrical stimulation (ES) to specific brain networks.
• To determine optimal stimulation parameters and anatomical targets for evoking network-level responses.
• To explore the potential for network-specific modulation using ES.

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 locations with PFM-defined network regions and observed behavioral effects.

Main Results:

• ES was more likely to evoke within-network responses (SPES) and network-related behaviors (HFES) 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 anatomical boundaries.
• Lower current intensities at these 'sweet spots' may achieve network-specific modulation.

Conclusions:

• PFM can identify functional anatomic 'sweet spots' for targeted intracranial ES.
• This approach allows for more precise modulation of specific brain networks.
• Findings support optimizing ES by targeting identified network regions for improved therapeutic and diagnostic outcomes.