Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity
Background: Electrical repetitive sensory stimulation (rSS) is a direct and effective means of inducing plasticity processes in human beings, and is increasingly being used as a therapeutic intervention. Suprathreshold intensities induce beneficial effects on tactile perception and sensorimotor abil...
Main Authors: | , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Elsevier
2012-10-01
|
Series: | Brain Stimulation |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X11000921 |
id |
doaj-4f0eafb21f6447c9ac985726703e0ff7 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-4f0eafb21f6447c9ac985726703e0ff72021-03-18T04:35:27ZengElsevierBrain Stimulation1935-861X2012-10-0154647651Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensitySandra Schlieper0Hubert R. Dinse1Institut fur Neuroinformatik, Neural Plasticity Lab, Ruhr-University-Bochum, GermanyCorrespondence: Hubert R. Dinse, Institut für Neuroinformatik, Neural Plasticity Lab, Ruhr-University Bochum, Building NB 3, 44780 Bochum, Germany.; Institut fur Neuroinformatik, Neural Plasticity Lab, Ruhr-University-Bochum, GermanyBackground: Electrical repetitive sensory stimulation (rSS) is a direct and effective means of inducing plasticity processes in human beings, and is increasingly being used as a therapeutic intervention. Suprathreshold intensities induce beneficial effects on tactile perception and sensorimotor abilities. However, it is not known whether there is an optimal range of stimulus intensity. Methods: We investigated the effect of varied intensities (low, 1.19 ± 0.07 mA; intermediate, 3.33 ± 0.27 mA; and high, 4.42 ± 0.56 mA) on the outcome of a 30-minute electrical rSS applied to the index finger (intermittent high-frequency stimulation, 20 Hz and interburst interval, 5 seconds) in three groups (n = 10 each) of participants. As a marker of perceptual changes, we measured tactile spatial two-point discrimination on the stimulated finger and on the heel of the hand before and after the rSS. Results: rSS improved discrimination performance, with the gain being the highest in the high-intensity group and the lowest in the low-intensity group. Measurements on the heel of the hand revealed small improvements in the high-intensity group, indicative of recruitment processes. Conclusions: rSS of maximal intensity induced the strongest effects, indicative of a monotonic intensity-gain characteristic with no U-shaped dependency.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X11000921somatosensory cortexplasticityinterventionstroke rehabilitation |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sandra Schlieper Hubert R. Dinse |
spellingShingle |
Sandra Schlieper Hubert R. Dinse Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity Brain Stimulation somatosensory cortex plasticity intervention stroke rehabilitation |
author_facet |
Sandra Schlieper Hubert R. Dinse |
author_sort |
Sandra Schlieper |
title |
Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity |
title_short |
Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity |
title_full |
Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity |
title_fullStr |
Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity |
title_full_unstemmed |
Perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity |
title_sort |
perceptual improvement following repetitive sensory stimulation depends monotonically on stimulation intensity |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Brain Stimulation |
issn |
1935-861X |
publishDate |
2012-10-01 |
description |
Background: Electrical repetitive sensory stimulation (rSS) is a direct and effective means of inducing plasticity processes in human beings, and is increasingly being used as a therapeutic intervention. Suprathreshold intensities induce beneficial effects on tactile perception and sensorimotor abilities. However, it is not known whether there is an optimal range of stimulus intensity. Methods: We investigated the effect of varied intensities (low, 1.19 ± 0.07 mA; intermediate, 3.33 ± 0.27 mA; and high, 4.42 ± 0.56 mA) on the outcome of a 30-minute electrical rSS applied to the index finger (intermittent high-frequency stimulation, 20 Hz and interburst interval, 5 seconds) in three groups (n = 10 each) of participants. As a marker of perceptual changes, we measured tactile spatial two-point discrimination on the stimulated finger and on the heel of the hand before and after the rSS. Results: rSS improved discrimination performance, with the gain being the highest in the high-intensity group and the lowest in the low-intensity group. Measurements on the heel of the hand revealed small improvements in the high-intensity group, indicative of recruitment processes. Conclusions: rSS of maximal intensity induced the strongest effects, indicative of a monotonic intensity-gain characteristic with no U-shaped dependency. |
topic |
somatosensory cortex plasticity intervention stroke rehabilitation |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X11000921 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT sandraschlieper perceptualimprovementfollowingrepetitivesensorystimulationdependsmonotonicallyonstimulationintensity AT hubertrdinse perceptualimprovementfollowingrepetitivesensorystimulationdependsmonotonicallyonstimulationintensity |
_version_ |
1724217495270719488 |