Neuromodulation of motor and cognitive functions
The application of non-invasive brain stimulation such as tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) or TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) can modulate regional brain activity and interfere with the respective cognitive functions. Depending on the stimulation mode and site, the stimulation can either be inhibitory or facilitatory and thereby influences behaviour.
Past studies revealed that the application of tDCS over the parietal cortex can improve gesture processing in healthy subjects (Weiss, Achilles et al., 2013). Moreover, in a pilot study on stroke patients suffering from apraxia, the application of tDCS over the parietal cortex lead to improved gesture imitation (Ant et al., 2019). These promising results in the field of neuro-rehabilitation of apraxia are currently being investigated in a larger patient sample (Kleineberg, Richter et al., 2020).
Selected publications
- Ant JM, Niessen E, Achilles EIS, Saliger J, Karbe H, Weiss PH, Fink GR (2019). Anodal tDCS over left parietal cortex expedites recovery from stroke-induced apraxic imitation deficits: a pilot study. Neurological Research and Practice, 1, 38. DOI: 10.1186/s42466-019-0042-0
- Kleineberg NN, Richter MK, Becker I, Weiss PH, Fink GR (2020). Verum versus sham tDCS in the treatment of stroke-induced apraxia: study protocol of the randomized controlled trial RAdiCS - "Rehabilitating (stroke-induced) Apraxia with direct Current Stimulation". Neurological Research and Practice, 2, 7. DOI: 10.1186/s42466-020-0052-y
- Weiss PH, Achilles EIS, Moos K, Hesse MD, Sparing R, Fink GR (2013). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of left parietal cortex facilitates gesture processing in healthy subjects. Journal of Neuroscience, 33, 19205-19211. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4714-12.2013