Establishment of a cortical electrical stimulation for remote control of neural activity in insular cortex

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19389
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Nagasaka Kazuaki 新潟医療福祉大学, リハビリテーション学部, 講師 (70833812)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: tACS / 安静時脳機能結合 / fMRI / 痛み

Outline of Final Research Achievements

An increased activity of the posterior insular cortex is involved in the development and maintenance of central post-stroke pain. This research project attempted to control insular cortex activity by noninvasive electrical stimulation of superficial brain regions. First, resting-state network analysis of healthy subjects using MRI revealed that the posterior insular cortex has functional connections with the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex regions. Furthermore, we found that transcranial alternate current stimulation of the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex altered brain activity in distally located thalamus and insula regions. These results suggest a remote control of insular cortical activity, but also show that individual differences in these effects are very large.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで治ることがないとされてきた一部の慢性疼痛に対する脳活動をターゲットとした治療法確立に繋がる．さらに表層の刺激による深部脳領域への効果の汎化メカニズムを明らかにできれば，精神疾患や依存症などの病態にも適応できる可能性がある．