A Study of Long-term GABA and High-energy Phosphate Alterations in the Primary Motor Cortex Using Anodal TDCS and H/P MR Spectroscopy

Overview

Journal Front Hum Neurosci

Specialty Neurology

Date 2024 Dec 30

PMID 39734666

Authors

Harshal Jayeshkumar Patel

Lea-Sophie Stollberg

Chang-Hoon Choi

Michael A Nitsche

N Jon Shah

Ferdinand Binkofski

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to modulate gamma-aminobutyric acid levels and cerebral energy consumption in the brain. This study aims to investigate long-term GABA and cerebral energy modulation following anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex.

Method: To assess GABA and energy level changes, proton and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy data were acquired before and after anodal or sham tDCS. In anodal stimulation, a 1 mA current was applied for 20 min, and the duration of ramping the current up/down at the start and end of the intervention was 10 s. In the sham-stimulation condition, the current was first ramped up over a period of 10 s, then immediately ramped down, and the condition was maintained for the next 20 min.

Results: The GABA concentration increased significantly following anodal stimulation in the first and second post-stimulation measurements. Likewise, both ATP/Pi and PCr/Pi ratios increased after anodal stimulation in the first and second post-stimulation measurements.

Conclusion: The approach employed in this study shows the feasibility of measuring long-term modulation of GABA and high-energy phosphates following anodal tDCS targeting the left M1, offering valuable insights into the mechanisms of neuroplasticity and energy metabolism, which may have implications for applications of this intervention in clinical populations.

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