EEG markers of TMS-induced brain plasticity in the adult speech system

尽管在理解神经言语系统方面取得了巨大进展，但关于该系统的组织及其在成人寿命中的演变仍存在一些问题。尽管随着年龄的增长，大脑的结构和功能会正常下降，但健康的成年人的大脑在整个生命周期中都保持着改变其结构和组织的非凡能力。这种现象被称为经验依赖性大脑可塑性。诱导大脑可塑性的一种方法是通过使用一种称为“重复经颅磁刺激”或rTMS的设备。rTMS将磁刺激传递到特定的大脑区域，并且可以改变它们的功能，这可以增强言语表现（例如，语音感知、发音、语音速率）。当与电生理技术（如EEG）结合时，可以可视化和测量rTMS对大脑活动的影响。该补助金的目的是获得电生理设备，以便能够研究rTMS对大脑活动的影响。具体来说，我们将购买TMS兼容的脑电图（EEG）和2通道听觉脑干记录（ABR）系统。EEG系统将允许我和我的团队探索基线神经活动对TMS影响的影响，并记录TMS对休息和言语任务期间大脑活动影响的性质和时间过程。ABR系统将使我们能够研究较低水平的皮层下听觉电位，这在言语理解中起着重要作用。在我们的项目中加入这些措施将对项目的影响和独创性产生相当大的影响。这是因为我们目前仅限于测量TMS对性能的影响，并且没有设备来测量rTMS对大脑活动的影响。将进行一系列研究，重点是将rTMS应用于语音系统的不同区域，以增强特定的语音功能。在每项研究中，将记录和检查EEG和ABR，以了解rTMS如何改变年轻人和老年人的大脑活动，以及神经活动的变化如何影响言语表现。这项研究计划将推进健康的年轻人和老年人大脑中经验诱导的可塑性机制的现有知识。这些知识将有助于开发大脑增强技术，这些技术正在世界各地开发，但缺乏足够的科学和理论支持。除了加强我的研究计划外，该设备还将为本科生参与基础神经科学研究提供新的机会。目前，我很难让本科学员开发小型独立项目，因为我们的主要方法MRI和TMS需要获取昂贵的MRI数据。相比之下，EEG在首次购买后是免费的。这种设备的可用性也将通过显着扩大和多样化我的研究能力，促进研究生招生。

Despite tremendous progress in understanding the neural speech system, several questions remain regarding the organization of this system and its evolution over the adult lifespan. Despite a normal decline of structure and functions with age, the healthy adult brain retains a remarkable capacity to modify its structure and organization across the entire lifespan. This phenomenon is known as experience-dependent brain plasticity. One method to induce brain plasticity is through the use of a device called “repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation” or rTMS. rTMS delivers magnetic stimulation to specific brain areas and can modify their functioning, which can enhance speech performance (e.g., speech perception, articulation, speech rate). When combined with electrophysiological techniques, such as EEG, it is possible to visualize and measure the effect of rTMS on brain activity. The objective of this grant is to acquire electrophysiological equipment to be able to study the effect of rTMS on brain activity. Specifically, we will purchase a TMS-compatible electroencephalography (EEG) and 2-channel auditory brainstem recording (ABR) system. The EEG system will allow my team and I to explore the effect of baseline neural activity on the impact of TMS and to document the nature and time course of TMS effects on brain activity at rest and during speech tasks. The ABR system will allow us to study lower-level subcortical auditory potential, which plays an important part in speech comprehension. Adding these measures to our projects will have a considerable effect on their impact and originality. This is because we are currently limited to measuring the impact of TMS on performance and have no equipment to measure the rTMS effects on brain activity. A set of studies will be conducted focusing on applying rTMS to different regions of the speech system to enhance specific speech functions. In each study, EEG and ABR will be recorded and examined to understand how rTMS alters brain activity in young and older adults and, in turn, how changes in neural activity influences speech performance. This research program will advance current knowledge of experience-induced plasticity mechanisms in the healthy younger and older adult brain. This knowledge will contribute to the development of brain-enhancing technologies, which are being developed across the world in the absence of adequate scientific and theoretical support. In addition to strengthening my research program, this equipment will provide new opportunities to involve undergraduate students in basic neuroscience research. It is currently difficult for me to allow undergraduate trainees to develop small independent projects because our main methodologiesMRI and TMSrequire acquiring costly MRI data. In contrast, EEG is free after the initial purchase. The availability of this equipment will also facilitate graduate student recruitment by expanding and diversifying my research capacity significantly.