Event Abstract Back to Event Effects of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) on the cortical excitability Vera Moliadze1*, L. Chaieb1, D. Terney1, A. Antal1 and W. Paulus1 1 Georg-August University, Germany Transcranial application of weak random noise may appear to be a promising tool for clinical neuroplasticity research, for it allows a painless, selective, focal, non-invasive and reversible excitability modulation of the cortex without an adaptation effect. The “random noise” signal contains all frequencies up to half of the sampling rate, i.e. a maximum of 640 Hz. This random level of current generated for every sample (sampling rate 1280 sps) and is normally distributed; the probability density function follows a bell-shaped curve. Methods: Stimulation was delivered by a battery-driven electrical stimulator (NeuroConn GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany) through conductive-rubber electrodes, placed in two saline-soaked sponges. To detect these current-driven changes of excitability we used single-pulse TMS, frequently employed in these kind of studies. The intensity of the TMS pulse is calibrated before the experiment to induce a motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude of about 1 mV in the resting first dorsal interosseus muscle. MEP size increases or decreases after an external stimulation of the brain reflecting excitability enhancement or reduction of the motor cortex. Following stimulation, 40 single test-pulse MEPs were recorded at a time constant of 4 +/- 0.04s eight times, i.e. approximately 0 min, 5 min, 10 min post-stimulation and then every 10 minutes up to 60 min. Results: Applying 10 min random noise stimulation over the primary motor cortex induces excitability changes of up to 20-50 %, as revealed by TMS, which lasts for 60 minutes post-stimulation. However, RNS over the premotor cortex did not induce any significant excitability changes. The observed increase in MEP post-stimulation indicates that tRNS application has the ability to modulate levels of cortical excitability. Conference: Bernstein Symposium 2008, Munich, Germany, 8 Oct - 10 Oct, 2008. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: All Abstracts Citation: Moliadze V, Chaieb L, Terney D, Antal A and Paulus W (2008). Effects of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) on the cortical excitability. Front. Comput. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: Bernstein Symposium 2008. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.10.2008.01.091 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 17 Nov 2008; Published Online: 17 Nov 2008. * Correspondence: Vera Moliadze, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany, vmoliadze@med.uni-goettingen.de Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Vera Moliadze L. Chaieb D. Terney A. Antal W. Paulus Google Vera Moliadze L. Chaieb D. Terney A. Antal W. Paulus Google Scholar Vera Moliadze L. Chaieb D. Terney A. Antal W. Paulus PubMed Vera Moliadze L. Chaieb D. Terney A. Antal W. Paulus Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.