title: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cerebral Vasomotor Reserve: A Study in Healthy Subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebral vasomotor reserve (VMR) is the capability of cerebral arterioles to change their diameter in response to various stimuli, such hypercapnia. Changes of VMR due to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been poorly studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five healthy subjects underwent anodal/cathodal and sham tDCS on right primary motor area. Before and after tDCS, we assessed VMR by Transcranial Color-Coded Sonography (TCCS) calculating trought Breath Holding Index (BHI) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), in particular after Valsalva manouver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A-tDCS decreased VMR and BHI (p < 0.05), whereas C-tDCS increased VMR, and BHI (p < 0.05); Sham doesn't provide statistically significant of both VMR, BHI and HRV (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms that tDCS induces a modification of bilateral VMR with a polarity-specific effect; based on this bilateral MFV and BHI modifications, we can speculate an involvement of the SNS in the VMR regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.|Department of Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giorli
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tognazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Briscese
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.|Department of Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bocci
authors.affiliation: CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzatenta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Surgical Pathophysiology and Transplants, Fondazione IRCCS "Ca' Granda" Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Priori
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orlandi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurology, Sant' Andrea Hospital, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Sette
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.|Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Unit of Sensorial Physiology, Teramo University, Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sartucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: carotid stenosis; heart rate variability; tDCS; vasomotor reserve