In-vivo Mapping of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation(tDCS) of Human Brain using MRI

PURPOSE: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique. Hypothesized to affect cortical excitability, tDCS has been found to facilitate clinical treatments (e.g., stroke, depression, pain relief) and enhance cognition (e.g., math, verbal working memory). A typical tDCS setup involves placing electrodes over the scalp and driving a constant, low (~1mA) electric current. To date, however, the in-vivo distribution of the current density remains an open question, with most of the research focused on mathematical modeling. Visualizing the current density distribution through imaging would enable us to improve the efficacy and targeting of tDCS on an individual basis.