Ying Wang1,2,3,5 • Jixian Wang4 • Qing‑Fang Zhang1 • Ke‑Wei Xiao1 • Liang Wang1 • Qing‑Ping Yu1 • Qing Xie4 • Mu‑Ming Poo1,2,3,5 • Yunqing Wen1

1 Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China

2 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

3 School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China

4 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China

5 Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 201210, China

 

Abstract

    The optimal protocol for neuromodulation by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) remains unclear. Using the rotarod paradigm, we found that mouse motor learning was enhanced by anodal tDCS (3.2 mA/cm2 ) during but not before or after the performance of a task. Dual-task experiments showed that motor learning enhancement was specifc to the task accompanied by anodal tDCS. Studies using a mouse model of stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion showed that concurrent anodal tDCS restored motor learning capability in a task-specifc manner. Transcranial in vivo Ca2+ imaging further showed that anodal tDCS elevated and cathodal tDCS suppressed neuronal activity in the primary motor cortex (M1). Anodal tDCS specifcally promoted the activity of task-related M1 neurons during task performance, suggesting that elevated Hebbian synaptic potentiation in task-activated circuits accounts for the motor learning enhancement. Thus, application of tDCS concurrent with the targeted behavioral dysfunction could be an efective approach to treating brain disorders.

 

Keywords

Motor learning; tDCS efect; Neural mechanism of tDCS; Neuronal excitability; Stroke model mouse

 

[SpringerLink]