Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that uses weak electrical currents administered to the scalp to manipulate cortical excitability and, consequently, behavior and brain function. In the last decade, numerous studies have addressed short-term and long-term effects of tDCS on different measures of behavioral performance during motor and co...

This study uses an all-optical approach to probe interneuronal communication between spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) and of other functional units, in this case cortex (CNs) hippocampus (HNs), for the first time. We combined a channelrhodopsin variant (CheRiff) with red genetically encoded calcium indicator (jRCaMP1a), enabling simultaneous optical stimulation recording from spatially separated ...

A functional electrical stimulation system with surface electrodes and four stimulation channels was developed. The proposed system was used to design two neural prostheses for spinal cord injured subjects and stroke subjects. One prosthesis was used to restore a grasping function in high lesioned tetraplegic subjects. The other prosthesis was used to eliminate the ‘drop foot’ problem in incomp...

Episodic memory is thought to critically depend on interaction of the hippocampus with distributed brain regions [1-3]. Specific contributions of distinct networks have been hypothesized, with the hippocampal posterior-medial (HPM) network implicated in the recollection of highly precise contextual and spatial information [3-6]. Current evidence for HPM specialization is mostly indirect, derive...

The human vestibular cortex has mostly been approached using functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography combined with artificial stimulation of the receptors or nerve. Few studies have used electroencephalography benefited from its high temporal resolution to describe spatiotemporal dynamics information processing first milliseconds following stimulation. Evoked pote...

Functional loss of limb control in individuals with spinal cord injury or stroke can be caused by interruption of corticospinal pathways, although the neural circuits located above and below the lesion remain functional. An artificial neural connection that bridges the lost pathway and connects cortical to spinal circuits has potential to ameliorate the functional loss. We investigated the effe...

Applying electrical stimulation over the prefrontal cortex can help nicotine dependents reduce cigarette craving. However, the underlying mechanism remains ambiguous. This study investigates this issue with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Thirty-two male chronic smokers received real and sham stimulation over dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) separated by 1 week. The neuroimaging ...

Electrophysiology is a decades-old technique widely used for monitoring activity of individual neurons and local field potentials. Optogenetics has revolutionized neuroscience studies by offering selective and fast control of targeted neurons and neuron populations. The combination of these two techniques is crucial for causal investigation of neural circuits and understanding their functional ...

Stem Cells for Recovery of Human Central Nervous System Function. " In response to the Route 28 challenge, we propose a novel combinatorial treatment approach using multiple biological interventions in conjunction with controlled electrical stimulation to enhance the benefits of a cellular replacement strategy. Using an aligned polymer scaffold seeded with embryonic neural stem cells, we aim to...