title: Transcranial direct current stimulation in the male mouse to promote recovery after stroke.
abstract: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) constitutes a promising approach for promoting recovery of function after stroke, although the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unclear. To conduct translational research in animal models, stimulation parameters should not lead to neuronal lesions. Liebetanz et al. recommend charge densities for cathodal stimulation in rats, but parameters for mice are not established. We established tDCS in the wild-type mouse, enabling studies with genetically-engineered mice (GEM). tDCS equipment was adapted to fit the mouse skull. Using different polarities and charge densities, tDCS was safe to apply in the mouse where the charge density was below 198 kC/m(2) for single or repeated stimulations. These findings are crucial for future investigations of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying tDCS using GEM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pikhovych
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Helene L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mahabir
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Gereon Rudolf
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany adele.rueger@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Maria Adele
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rueger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004566:Electrodes; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011897:Random Allocation; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: brain; electric stimulation; lesion threshold; neuromodulation; stroke model