Non Invasive Brain Stimulation Therapy Restores Neuroplasticity in Depression

Abstract

s / Brain Stimulation 8 (2015) 343e359 349 learning paradigms, C57Bl6/J mice receive daily iTBS immediately prior to undergoing a skilled pellet-reaching task for 10 days. In a separate group; Thy1-GFPM mice undergo cranial window insertion overlying the right motor cortex to enable visualisation of excitatory cortical neurons in the upper layers of the motor cortex. Images of synaptic structures are collected at regular intervals before and after iTBS and analysed for alterations in connectivity resulting from stimulation. Preliminary analysis suggests daily iTBS significantly increases accuracy but not speed of pellet reaching, relative to sham stimulation (handling control). Preliminary analysis of the imaging data suggests a single session of iTBS does not alter dendritic spine density. These results will help characterise the biological mechanisms underlying rTMS, which will undoubtedly pave the way forward in the therapeutic applications of non-invasive brain stimulation in health and disease.