scholarly journals Timing is everything: event-related transcranial direct current stimulation improves motor adaptation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Weightman ◽  
John Stuart-Brittain ◽  
Alison Hall ◽  
Chris Miall ◽  
Ned Jenkinson
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Short Duration ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Neural Circuits ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Motor Adaptation ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation

There is a fundamental discord between the foundational theories underpinning motor learning and how we currently apply transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS). The former is dependent on tight coupling of events; the latter is conducted with very low temporal resolution, typically being applied for 10-20 minutes, prior to or during performance of a particular motor or cognitive task. Here we show that when short duration stimulation epochs (< 3 seconds) are yoked to movement, only the reaching movements repeatedly performed simultaneously with stimulation are selectively enhanced. We propose that mechanisms of Hebbian-like learning are potentiated within neural circuits that are active during movement and concurrently stimulated, thus driving improved adaptation.

scholarly journals No effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on force field and visuomotor reach adaptation in young and healthy subjects

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (6) ◽  
pp. 2112-2125 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mamlins ◽  
T. Hulst ◽  
O. Donchin ◽  
D. Timmann ◽  
J. Claassen
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Force Field ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Motor Adaptation ◽  
Visuomotor Rotation ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Cerebellar Tdcs ◽  
Adaptation Task

Previous studies have shown that cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) leads to faster adaptation of arm reaching movements to visuomotor rotation and force field perturbations in healthy subjects. The first aim of the present study was to confirm a stimulation-dependent effect on motor adaptation. Second, we investigated whether tDCS effects differ depending on onset, that is, before or at the beginning of the adaptation phase. A total of 120 healthy and right-handed subjects (60 women, mean age 23.2 ± SD 2.7 yr, range 18–31 yr) were tested. Subjects moved a cursor with a manipulandum to one of eight targets presented on a vertically orientated screen. Three baseline blocks were followed by one adaptation block and three washout blocks. Sixty subjects did a force field adaptation task (FF), and 60 subjects did a visuomotor adaptation task (VM). Equal numbers of subjects received anodal, cathodal, or sham cerebellar tDCS beginning either in the third baseline block or at the start of the adaptation block. In FF and VM, tDCS and the onset of tDCS did not show a significant effect on motor adaptation (all P values >0.05). We were unable to support previous findings of modulatory cerebellar tDCS effects in reaching adaptation tasks in healthy subjects. Prior to possible application in patients with cerebellar disease, future experiments are needed to determine which tDCS and task parameters lead to robust tDCS effects. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising tool to improve motor learning. We investigated whether cerebellar tDCS improves motor learning in force field and visuomotor tasks in healthy subjects and what influence the onset of stimulation has. We did not find stimulation effects of tDCS or an effect of onset of stimulation. A reevaluation of cerebellar tDCS in healthy subjects and at the end of the clinical potential in cerebellar patients is demanded.

scholarly journals Task-specific elevation of motor learning by conjunctive transcranial direct current stimulation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Ji-xian Wang ◽  
Qing-fang Zhang ◽  
Ke-wei Xiao ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Neural Circuits ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Artery Occlusion ◽  
Anodal Tdcs ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Specific Manner

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is used for modulating brain functions, but the optimal protocol remains unclear. We found that mouse learning to run on a rotarod was enhanced by anodal tDCS during (“online”) but not before or after (“offline”) the task performance. The enhancement was task-specific, since online tDCS during rotarod learning did not affect learning of beam walking, and vice versa. For mice underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), online anodal tDCS restored motor learning capability in a task-specific manner. Transcranial calcium imaging showed that anodal and cathodal tDCS elevated and suppressed cortical neuronal activity, respectively, suggesting that elevated spiking in task-activated neural circuits underlie the learning enhancement. Thus, the efficacy of tDCS could be elevated by conjunctive activation of targeted neural circuits.One sentence summaryTranscranial direct current stimulation applied in temporal conjunction with the motor task enhances motor learning in a task-specific manner.

scholarly journals Effects of High-Definition and Conventional Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation on Motor Learning in Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauran Cole ◽  
Adrianna Giuffre ◽  
Patrick Ciechanski ◽  
Helen L. Carlson ◽  
Ephrem Zewdie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
High Definition ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation

Enhanced motor learning with bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation: Impact of polarity or current flow direction?

2016 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 2119-2126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Naros ◽  
Marc Geyer ◽  
Susanne Koch ◽  
Lena Mayr ◽  
Tabea Ellinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Current Flow ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation

Crossover design in transcranial direct current stimulation studies on motor learning: potential pitfalls and difficulties in interpretation of findings

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mana Biabani ◽  
Michael Farrell ◽  
Maryam Zoghi ◽  
Gary Egan ◽  
Shapour Jaberzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Crossover Design ◽  
Period Effect ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Repeated Measures Design

Abstract Crossover designs are used by a high proportion of studies investigating the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor learning. These designs necessitate attention to aspects of data collection and analysis to take account of design-related confounds including order, carryover, and period effects. In this systematic review, we appraised the method sections of crossover-designed tDCS studies of motor learning and discussed the strategies adopted to address these factors. A systematic search of 10 databases was performed and 19 research papers, including 21 experimental studies, were identified. Potential risks of bias were addressed in all of the studies, however, not in a rigorous and structured manner. In the data collection phase, unclear methods of randomization, various lengths of washout period, and inconsistency in the counteracting period effect can be observed. In the analytical procedures, the stratification by sequence group was often ignored, and data were treated as if it belongs to a simple repeated-measures design. An inappropriate use of crossover design can seriously affect the findings and therefore the conclusions drawn from tDCS studies on motor learning. The results indicate a pressing need for the development of detailed guidelines for this type of studies to benefit from the advantages of a crossover design.

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