Does Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Induce Cerebellum Plasticity? Feasibility, Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Electrophysiological Approach.

Publication date: Available online 12 February 2016
Source:Brain Stimulation
Author(s): Antonino Naro, Antonino Leo, Margherita Russo, Antonino Cannavò, Demetrio Milardi, Placido Bramanti, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
Backgroundcerebellum-brain functional connectivity can be shaped through different non-invasive neurostimulation approaches. In this study, we propose a novel approach to perturb the cerebellum-brain functional connectivity by means of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS).Methodstwenty-five healthy individuals underwent a cerebellar tACS protocol employing different frequencies (10, 50, and 300Hz) and a sham-tACS over the right cerebellar hemisphere. We measured their after-effects on the motor evoked potential -MEP- amplitude, the cerebellum-brain inhibition (CBI), the long-latency intracortical inhibition (LICI), from the primary motor cortex of both the hemispheres. In addition, we assessed the functional adaptation to a right hand sequential tapping motor task.Resultsnone of the participants had any side-effect. Following 50Hz-tACS, we observed a clear contralateral CBI weakening, paralleled by a MEP increase with a better adaptation to frequency variations during the sequential tapping. The 300Hz-tACS induced a contralateral CBI strengthening, without significant MEP and kinematic after-effects. The 10Hz-tACS conditioning was instead ineffective.Conclusionswe may argue that tACS protocols could have interfered with the activity of CBI- sustaining Purkinje cell, affecting motor adaptation. Our safe approach seems promising in studying the cerebellum-brain functional connectivity, with possible implications in neurorehabilitative settings.



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