The effect of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the primary motor or somatosensory cortices on somatosensory evoked magnetic fields

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of anodal transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the primary motor (M1) or the primary somatosensory (S1) cortices on somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) following median nerve stimulation.

Methods: Anodal tDCS was applied for 15min on the left motor or somatosensory cortices at 1mA. SEFs were recorded following right median nerve stimulation using a magnetoencephalography (MEG) system before and after the application of tDCS. SEFs was measured and compared before and after tDCS was applied over M1 or S1.

Results: The source strengths for the P35m and P60m increased after tDCS was applied over M1 and that for the P60m increased after tDCS was applied over S1. The mean equivalent current dipole (ECD) location for the P35m was located significantly anterior to that of the N20m, but only during post 1 (10-20min after tDCS was applied over M1).

Conclusion: Our results indicated that the anodal tDCS applied over M1 affected the P35m and P60m sources on SEF components, while that applied over S1 influenced the P60m source.

Significance: We demonstrated anodal tDCS applied over M1 or S1 can modulate somatosensory processing and components of SEFs, confirming the hypothesis for locally distinct generators of the P35m and P60m sources.

Keywords: Magnetoencephalography; Median nerve stimulation; Primary motor cortex; Primary somatosensory cortex; Somatosensory evoked magnetic fields; Transcranial direct current stimulation.