title: Modelling the electric field and the current density generated by cerebellar transcranial DC stimulation in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) over the cerebellum (or cerebellar tDCS) modulates working memory, changes cerebello-brain interaction, and affects locomotion in humans. Also, the use of tDCS has been proposed for the treatment of disorders characterized by cerebellar dysfunction. Nonetheless, the electric field (E) and current density (J) spatial distributions generated by cerebellar tDCS are unknown. This work aimed to estimate E and J distributions during cerebellar tDCS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computational electromagnetics techniques were applied in three human realistic models of different ages and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stronger E and J occurred mainly in the cerebellar cortex, with some spread (up to 4%) toward the occipital cortex. Also, changes by ±1cm in the position of the active electrode resulted in a small effect (up to 4%) in the E and J spatial distribution in the cerebellum. Finally, the E and J spreads to the brainstem and the heart were negligible, thus further supporting the safety of this technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite inter-individual differences, our modeling study confirms that the cerebellum is the structure mainly involved by cerebellar tDCS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modeling approach reveals that during cerebellar tDCS the current spread to other structures outside the cerebellum is unlike to produce functional effects.
authors.affiliation: CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Elettronica e di Ingegneria dell'Informazione e delle Telecomunicazioni IEIIT, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: marta.parazzini@ieiit.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parazzini
authors.affiliation: CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Elettronica e di Ingegneria dell'Informazione e delle Telecomunicazioni IEIIT, Milano, Italy; Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Centro Clinico per la Neurostimolazione, le Neurotecnologie ed i Disordini del Movimento, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.affiliation: CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Elettronica e di Ingegneria dell'Informazione e delle Telecomunicazioni IEIIT, Milano, Italy; Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liorni
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Centro Clinico per la Neurostimolazione, le Neurotecnologie ed i Disordini del Movimento, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Priori
authors.affiliation: CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Elettronica e di Ingegneria dell'Informazione e delle Telecomunicazioni IEIIT, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ravazzani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Cerebellar tDCS; Cerebellum; Computational modelling; DC; High resolution head modelling; Neuromodulation