The effect of tDCS on functional connectivity in primary progressive aphasia

NeuroImage. Clinical
Bronte N FicekKyrana Tsapkini

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an innovative technique recently shown to improve language outcomes even in neurodegenerative conditions such as primary progressive aphasia (PPA), but the underlying brain mechanisms are not known. The present study tested whether the additional language gains with repetitive tDCS (over sham) in PPA are caused by changes in functional connectivity between the stimulated area (the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)) and the rest of the language network. We scanned 24 PPA participants (11 female) before and after language intervention (written naming/spelling) with a resting-state fMRI sequence and compared changes before and after three weeks of tDCS or sham coupled with language therapy. We correlated changes in the language network as well as in the default mode network (DMN) with language therapy outcome measures (letter accuracy in written naming). Significant tDCS effects in functional connectivity were observed between the stimulated area and other language network areas and between the language network and the DMN. TDCS over the left IFG lowered the connectivity between the above pairs. Changes in functional connectivity correlated with improvement in language scores (lett...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 25, 2019·Human Brain Mapping·Zeinab EsmaeilpourHamed Ekhtiari
Feb 11, 2020·Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·Gozde UnalKyrana Tsapkini
Feb 13, 2020·Current Opinion in Neurology·Olivier Piguet, Fiona Kumfor
Aug 14, 2020·Biometrics·Yi ZhaoBrian S Caffo
Jun 30, 2019·Frontiers in Psychology·Amberlynn S FennerKyrana Tsapkini
Feb 14, 2020·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Haewon Byeon
Oct 22, 2019·Biostatistics·Yuting YeLexin Li
Apr 2, 2021·Journal of Experimental Pharmacology·Marcello GiuntaAlberto Benussi
Apr 4, 2021·Brain Sciences·Charalambos ThemistocleousKyrana Tsapkini
Jan 30, 2019·Neuro-degenerative Diseases·Lorenzo PiniMichela Pievani

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Clinical Trials Mentioned

NCT02606422

Software Mentioned

MRICloud
SPM
CompCor

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