High-density neuromodulation using network-based transcranial alternating current stimulation

我们正在申请资金，用于我们已经在UBC脑动力学实验室（托德伍德沃德博士，首席研究员;克莉丝汀蒂珀博士，共同研究员和科学总监）的高密度脑电图（dEEG）系统的测地线经颅电神经调节（GTEN）硬件和软件附加组件。 dEEG使我们能够测量构成认知任务基础的振荡频率网络，但我们现在必须通过反馈网络活动模式来测试我们的观察结果，通过经颅交流电刺激（tACS）使用神经调节来证明假设的神经调节模式确实影响了这些任务的行为。 与典型的神经调节tACS系统相比，GTEN附加组件具有三个关键优势： 1)256个电极用于以灵活的模式输送振荡电流，可以精确地靶向特定大脑区域的刺激，而不是以解剖学上非靶向的方式分配刺激的两个大海绵电极; 2)输送电流的电极阵列也记录EEG大脑活动，以确认神经调制产生了预期的效果， 3)GTEN电流输送通过对每个人独特的头部和大脑形态的组织电导率进行高性能计算物理模拟进行优化。 强大的控制条件的可用性证明了GTEN记录响应神经调节的行为变化的能力。具体地，可以将先前记录的振荡网络配置的tACS刺激的优化靶向的实验条件与刺激的次优空间分布、振荡的次优刺激频率和/或刺激的次优时间靶向的对照条件进行比较。有了这个实验装置，对神经调节反应的行为变化将得到有力的证明。 dEEG/GTEN系统将是加拿大的第一个系统。采购的延迟将危及我们目前的研究生接受方法学培训的机会，并延迟认知和认知神经科学的进步。

We are requesting funds for the Geodesic Transcranial Electrical Neuromodulation (GTEN) hardware and software add-on for our high-density electroencephalography (dEEG) system already in place in our UBC Brain Dynamics Lab (Dr. Todd Woodward, principal investigator; Dr. Christine Tipper, co-investigator and scientific director). dEEG has allowed us to measure the networks of frequencies of oscillation that underlie cognitive tasks, but we must now test our observations by feeding the patterns of network activity back, using neuromodulation through transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to show that the hypothesized pattern of neuromodulation indeed affects behavior on those tasks. The GTEN add-on offers three critical advantages over typical neuromodulation tACS systems: 1) 256 electrodes are used to deliver oscillatory current in flexible patterns that can precisely target stimulation of specific brain areas, rather than two large sponge electrodes that distribute stimulation in an anatomically untargeted manner; 2) the same array of electrodes that delivers current also records EEG brain activity to confirm that the neurmodulation exerted the expected effects, and 3) GTEN current delivery is optimized with a high performance computational physics simulation of the tissue conductivity of each person’s unique head and brain morphology. The power of GTEN to document changes in behaviour in response to neuromodulation is evidenced by the availability of powerful control conditions. Specifically, the experimental condition of optimized targeting of tACS stimulation of previously recorded oscillatory network configurations can be compared to the control condition of suboptimal spatial distribution of stimulation, suboptimal stimulation frequencies of oscillation, and/or suboptimal temporal targeting of stimulation. With this experimental setup, behavioural changes in response to neuromodulation will be powerfully demonstrated. The dEEG/GTEN system would be the first in Canada. A delay in procurement will jeopardize the opportunity for our current graduate students to be trained in the methodology, and delay advancement in cognition and cognitive neuroscience.