Selective control of synaptic plasticity in heterogeneous networks through transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010736
• Publication Date: 2023-04-27T17:57:25Z
• Authors: Aref Pariz; Daniel Trotter; Axel Hutt; Jeremie Lefebvre
• Keywords: Biological neural network; Brain stimulation; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Nerve net

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) represents a promising non-invasive treatment for an increasingly wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. The ability to use periodically oscillating electric fields non-invasively engage neural dynamics opens up the possibility recruiting synaptic plasticity modulate brain function. However, despite consistent reports about tACS clinical effectiveness, strong state-dependence combined with ubiquitous heterogeneity cortical networks collectively results in high outcome variability. Introducing variations intrinsic neuronal timescales, we explored how such influences stimulation-induced change connectivity. We examined spike timing dependent plasticity, at level cells, intra- inter-laminar networks, can be selectively preferentially engaged by periodic stimulation. Using leaky integrate-and-fire neuron models, analyzed circuits comprised multiple cell-types, alongside superficial multi-layered expressing distinct layer-specific timescales. Our show that mismatch timescales within and/or between cells-and resulting variability excitability, temporal integration properties frequency tuning-enables selective directional control on connectivity tACS. work provides new vistas recruit guide using paradigms.