Non-invasive brain stimulation of cognitive functions
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating and modulating cognitive functions with electrical stimulation in the healthy and injured brain
IRAS ID
154511
Contact name
Richard Wise
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Brain injury, such as stroke, very commonly results in long-term cognitive problems such as poor concentration or memory deficits. Altough these problems have devastating effects on patients' lives, only a limited number of treatments have proven to be effective.
In healthy brains, cognitive tasks involve different brain regions that are connected to each other in networks. Patients with brain injury have damage to the grey and white matter, i.e., the functional 'hubs' and the 'wires' in the brain, which are responsible for their long-term cognitive deficits.
Non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) of the brain has been shown to succesfully improve motor functions following stroke. Recent research has provided more information on how TES works, helping us to better understand how to design effective TES paradigms to aid motor recovery after stroke. The same approach can be used for TES studies in the cognitive field, since TES has been shown great potential in modulating cognitive function in both healthy and brain-injured participants.
Here, we propose to investigate the effect of TES on cognitive functions (e.g., attention, language etc.) and brain network activity in healthy and neurological conditions. Cognitive functions will be tested using established neuropsychological assessment, which includes paper-based and computerised tests. In some cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) will be used to investigate changes in brain activity induced by TES.
This research will greatly enhance our understanding of TES as a potential tool for improving cognitive functions following stroke.REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1335
Date of REC Opinion
10 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion