Project:

Personalized beta-tACS on tremor and posture

Mentor (Advisor):

RNDr. Eugen Kvašňák, Ph.D.

Department:

Department of medical biophysics and informatics

Contact information:

, 26710 2304

Project Narrative:

The switching of the original endogenous frequency of oscillations of a neuronal population to an external (exogenous) frequency is called entrainment. Externally induced modulation of neuronal oscillations can be achieved in the human brain in three ways: sensory stimulation, invasive electrical stimulation, or non-invasive electrical or magnetic stimulation. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) appears to be very effective for modulating endogenous neuronal oscillations by direct entrainment to the frequency of stimulation. The synchronization of neuronal populations that affect the activity of distinct cortical regions is a frequency-specific resonance principle. In this way, tACS can modify brain rhythms especially when the frequency of the external superimposed waves is close to the characteristic frequency (or its harmonics) of a neuronal population in a particular cortical area (Schutter and Hortensius, 2011; Fröhlich and McCormick, 2010). In Parkinson's disease (PD), the effect of frequency-tuned tACS over M1 and cerebellum has been investigated in relation to tremor (Brittain et al., 2015). Neuronal populations regulating tremor in PD show a marked degree of entrainment capacity. According to the literature, personalized beta-frequency tACS could reduce tremor and bradykinesia and also slow cognitive decline in individuals with PD. The experiments in this project will be designed as a crossover within-subject study. Subjects will be both healthy volunteers and PD patients. Tremor (finger) amplitude and frequency, and static and dynamic postural stability parameters will be analyzed. A subject-specific beta EEG peak in M1 will be detected. Subsequently, a personalized beta-tACS frequency will be applied over M1 with a counterphase to the subject-specific beta frequency. The expected outcome of the project is a stimulation protocol for PD patients reducing tremor (amplitude and frequency) and improving postural stability.

Requirements for student applicants:

Completed university education (Master) in general medicine, or, psychology or natural sciences or biological signal processing.