title: A rat model for measuring the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation using fMRI.
abstract: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is one of the noteworthy noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, but the mechanism of its action remains unclear. With the aim of clarifying the mechanism, we developed a rat model and measured its effectiveness using fMRI. Carbon fiber electrodes were placed on the top of the head over the frontal cortex as the anode and on the neck as the cathode. The stimulus was 400- or 40-μA current applied for 10 min after a baseline recording under an anesthetized condition. The 400-μA stimulation significantly increased signal intensities in the frontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. This suggests anodal tDCS over the frontal cortex induces neuronal activation in the frontal cortex and in its connected brain region.
authors.affiliation: NTT Communication Science Laboratories, 3-1, Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa Pref., 243-0198, Japan. ytakano@cs.brl.ntt.co.jp
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokawa
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niimi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hironaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley