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Cited by 735Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation StudiesNeuroscience and Neural EngineeringNeural dynamics and brain function

Direct effects of transcranial electric stimulation on brain circuits in rats and humans

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Vöröslakos, Mihály, Takeuchi, Yuichi, Brinyiczki, Kitti, Zombori, Tamás, Oliva, Azahara, Fernández-Ruiz, Antonio, Kozák, Gábor, Kincses, Zsigmond Tamás +3 more·2018·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-02928-3PMC PMC5797140
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Abstract

Transcranial electric stimulation is a non-invasive tool that can influence brain activity; however, the parameters necessary to affect local circuits in vivo remain to be explored. Here, we report that in rodents and human cadaver brains, ~75% of scalp-applied currents are attenuated by soft tissue and skull. Using intracellular and extracellular recordings in rats, we find that at least 1 mV/mm voltage gradient is necessary to affect neuronal spiking and subthreshold currents. We designed an ‘intersectional short pulse’ stimulation method to inject sufficiently high current intensities into the brain, while keeping the charge density and sensation on the scalp surface relatively low. We verify the regional specificity of this novel method in rodents; in humans, we demonstrate how it affects the amplitude of simultaneously recorded EEG alpha waves. Our combined results establish that neuronal circuits are instantaneously affected by intensity currents that are higher than those used in conventional protocols.

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  • The efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation is unclear.

    “Until now, the efficacy of NIBS is unclear and some have questioned whether these techniques have any effect on the brain at all (Vöröslakos et al., 2018).”

    From Efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation on cognitive functioning in brain disorders: a meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as Vöröslakos et al., 2018

    The Introduction (page unavailable) says the effectiveness of currently used transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) protocols on local neuronal networks is extensively debated. That supports uncertainty about TES, but the citing sentence broadens this to all non-invasive brain stimulation and to whether the techniques have any effect on the brain at all. The Introduction also describes indirect effects on brain activity, so the paper's stated uncertainty is narrower. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

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Authors
Vöröslakos, M., Takeuchi, Y., Brinyiczki, K., Zombori, T., Oliva, A., Fernández-Ruiz, A., Kozák, G., Kincses, Z. T., Iványi, B., Buzsáki, G., & Berényi, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Szeged (HU)
  • New York University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Buzsáki, György
  • Berényi, Antal
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-02-02
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
483-483
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-018-02928-3
PMC
PMC5797140
OpenAlex
W2793127951
Cited by
735
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 47 · 2025: 79 · 2024: 83 · 2023: 81 · 2022: 86 · 2021: 96 · 2020: 91 · 2019: 122 · 2018: 48 · 2012: 1
FWCI
40.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • SZTE Publicatio Repozitórium (University of Szeged) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Uehara Memorial Foundation
  • G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation
  • Magyar Tudományos Akadémia (EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00008)
  • Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (734718, EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00008, EU‐H2020, 15-2016, GINOP-2.3.2)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH107396)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (U01NS090583, U01NS099705)
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (337075)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
transcranial electrical stimulation, brain circuits, voltage gradient, neuronal spiking, subthreshold current, charge density, regional specificity, EEG alpha waves, non-invasive brain stimulation
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Animals, Brain, Cadaver, Electroencephalography, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neural Pathways, Neurons, Skull, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats, Young Adult, Healthy Volunteers, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

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