Dose-response of intermittent theta burst stimulation of the prefrontal cortex: A TMS-EEG study

Manon Desforges; Itay Hadas; Brian Mihov; Yan Morin; Mathilde Rochette Braün; Pantelis Lioumis; Reza Zomorrodi; Hugo Théoret; Martin Lepage; Zafiris J Daskalakis; Sara Tremblay

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.12.018

Dose-response of intermittent theta burst stimulation of the prefrontal cortex: A TMS-EEG study

Clin Neurophysiol. 2022 Apr:136:158-172. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.12.018. Epub 2022 Jan 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
² Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
³ McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
⁶ Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.
⁷ Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
⁸ McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA; Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁰ The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Département de psychoéducation et psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 35183861
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.12.018

Abstract

Objective: Using concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG), this study aims to compare the effect of three intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) doses on cortical activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) cortex.

Methods: Fourteen neurotypical participants took part in the following three experimental conditions: 600, 1200 and 1800 pulses. TMS-EEG recordings were conducted on the left DLPFC pre/post iTBS, including single-pulse TMS and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI, LICI). TMS-evoked potentials (TEP) and event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) were quantified. Linear mixed models were used to assess the effect of iTBS on brain activity.

Results: The effects of iTBS on DLPFC activity did not significantly differ between the three doses. Specifically, regardless of dose, iTBS modulated the amplitude of most TEP components (P30, N45, P60, P200), reduced SICI and LICI ratios of P30 and P200, and decreased ERSP power of theta oscillations.

Conclusions: In neurotypical individuals, doubling or tripling the number of iTBS pulses does not result in stronger potentiation of prefrontal activity. However, all iTBS conditions induced significant modulations of DLPFC activity.

Significance: Replicating the study in clinical populations could help define optimal parameters for clinical applications.

Keywords: Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Healthy subjects; Neuroplasticity; TMS-EEG; iTBS; rTMS.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Electroencephalography*
Evoked Potentials / physiology
Humans
Inhibition, Psychological
Prefrontal Cortex / physiology
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*

Grants and funding

338588/CIHR/Canada