Highlights
- •This is the first study of tRNS over the auditory cortex.
- •Auditory cortex tRNS is capable in modulating EEG activity.
- •Power of auditory steady-state response was increased.
Abstract
Background
Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) is an innovative technique of non-invasive
electrical stimulation. tRNS over the parietal cortex has improved cognitive function
in healthy controls and, applied to the auditory cortex, tRNS has shown beneficial
effects on tinnitus.
Objective/hypothesis
Here we aimed to investigate the effects of tRNS over the auditory cortex on resting
state and evoked activity in healthy subjects.
Methods
We used EEG to measure tRNS induced changes in resting state activity and in auditory
steady state responses (ASSRs). Stimuli were 1000 Hz carrier frequency tones, amplitude
modulated at 20 Hz and 40 Hz and applied in randomized order. Fourteen subjects participated
in a placebo-controlled randomized design study; each received 20 min of tRNS applied
over auditory cortices with 2 mA, with a one week interval between real and sham stimulation.
Results
We found a significant increase in the ASSR in response to 40 Hz frequency modulated
tone and a non-significant trend toward an increase in mean theta band power and variability
of the theta band power for the resting state data.
Conclusions
Our finding of tRNS induced increased excitability in the auditory cortex parallels
previous findings of tRNS effects on motor cortex excitability and is in line with
current concepts of tRNS mechanisms such as increase of stochastic resonance.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 26, 2014
Accepted:
August 21,
2014
Received in revised form:
July 28,
2014
Received:
June 7,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
