Electric field dynamics in the brain during multi-electrode transcranial electric stimulation

Nat Commun. 2019 Jun 12;10(1):2573. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10581-7.

Abstract

Neural oscillations play a crucial role in communication between remote brain areas. Transcranial electric stimulation with alternating currents (TACS) can manipulate these brain oscillations in a non-invasive manner. Recently, TACS using multiple electrodes with phase shifted stimulation currents were developed to alter long-range connectivity. Typically, an increase in coordination between two areas is assumed when they experience an in-phase stimulation and a disorganization through an anti-phase stimulation. However, the underlying biophysics of multi-electrode TACS has not been studied in detail. Here, we leverage direct invasive recordings from two non-human primates during multi-electrode TACS to characterize electric field magnitude and phase as a function of the phase of stimulation currents. Further, we report a novel "traveling wave" stimulation where the location of the electric field maximum changes over the stimulation cycle. Our results provide a mechanistic understanding of the biophysics of multi-electrode TACS and enable future developments of novel stimulation protocols.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biophysical Phenomena / physiology*
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain Waves / physiology*
  • Cebus
  • Electrodes
  • Female
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / instrumentation
  • Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / methods*