Measuring the Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Large-Scale Brain Networks With Simultaneous Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Abstract

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) produces a noninvasive, subthreshold conductive current thought to modify neuronal circuits, and has been proposed as a novel therapeutic for psychiatric disease. However, few studies have directly measured tDCS brain effects in real time. Here, we employed simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the effect of tDCS on large-scale brain networks. We focused our design on a model of nicotine dependence, which involves dysfunction of the Default Mode (DMN), Executive Control (ECN), and Salience Networks (SN).