RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Increasing Human Brain Excitability by Transcranial High-Frequency Random Noise Stimulation
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 14147
OP 14155
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4248-08.2008
VO 28
IS 52
A1 Terney, Daniella
A1 Chaieb, Leila
A1 Moliadze, Vera
A1 Antal, Andrea
A1 Paulus, Walter
YR 2008
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/28/52/14147.abstract
AB For >20 years, noninvasive transcranial stimulation techniques like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been used to induce neuroplastic-like effects in the human cortex, leading to the activity-dependent modification of synaptic transmission. Here, we introduce a novel method of electrical stimulation: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), whereby a random electrical oscillation spectrum is applied over the motor cortex. tRNS induces consistent excitability increases lasting 60 min after stimulation. These effects have been observed in 80 subjects through both physiological measures and behavioral tasks. Higher frequencies (100–640 Hz) appear to be responsible for generating this excitability increase, an effect that may be attributed to the repeated opening of Na+ channels. In terms of efficacy tRNS appears to possess at least the same therapeutic potential as rTMS/tDCS in diseases such as depression, while furthermore avoiding the constraint of current flow direction sensitivity characteristic of tDCS.