BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive tool capable to modulate cortical functions by affecting neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. OBJECTIVE: Here we investigated the effects of anodal tDCS on auditory cortex (ACx) in normal-hearing rats and following a paradigm of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), that causes morphological alterations in ACx pyramidal neurons. METHODS: Male rats exposed to intense pure tone (10 kHz) were subsequently subjected to unilateral anodal tDCS of ACx and changes in dendritic morphology and spines were assessed by Golgi-Cox staining 30 days after the onset of the acoustic trauma. Molecular and functional changes were investigated by Western immunoblotting, immunofluorescence experiments and electrophysiological recordings in brain slices. RESULTS: We found that NIHL altered dendritic morphology by decreasing spine density, mostly in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, tDCS increased ACx spine density, targeting apical dendrites of layer 2/3 and 5/6 pyramidal neurons in rats with normal auditory function and both apical and basal arborizations in layer 2/3 of NIHL rats. Twenty-four hours after tDCS, Bdnf and synaptophysin levels in ACx increased both in normal-hearing and noise-exposed rats. Field recordings showed that basal synaptic transmission at layer 2/3 horizontal connections was significantly reduced in noise-exposed rats compared to normal-hearing animals and, notably, input-output curves of noise-exposed animals subjected to tDCS were similar to those of normal-hearing rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel evidence that anodal tDCS affects structural plasticity in the ACx suggesting that it might be beneficial in treating cortical alterations due to cochlear damage

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation affects auditory cortex plasticity in normal-hearing and noise-exposed rats / Paciello, F; Podda, Mv; Rolesi, R; Cocco, S; Petrosini, L; Troiani, D; Fetoni, Ar; Paludetti, G; Grassi, C.. - In: BRAIN STIMULATION. - ISSN 1935-861X. - 11:5(2018), pp. 1008-1023. [10.1016/j.brs.2018.05.017]

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation affects auditory cortex plasticity in normal-hearing and noise-exposed rats

Petrosini L;
2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive tool capable to modulate cortical functions by affecting neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. OBJECTIVE: Here we investigated the effects of anodal tDCS on auditory cortex (ACx) in normal-hearing rats and following a paradigm of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), that causes morphological alterations in ACx pyramidal neurons. METHODS: Male rats exposed to intense pure tone (10 kHz) were subsequently subjected to unilateral anodal tDCS of ACx and changes in dendritic morphology and spines were assessed by Golgi-Cox staining 30 days after the onset of the acoustic trauma. Molecular and functional changes were investigated by Western immunoblotting, immunofluorescence experiments and electrophysiological recordings in brain slices. RESULTS: We found that NIHL altered dendritic morphology by decreasing spine density, mostly in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, tDCS increased ACx spine density, targeting apical dendrites of layer 2/3 and 5/6 pyramidal neurons in rats with normal auditory function and both apical and basal arborizations in layer 2/3 of NIHL rats. Twenty-four hours after tDCS, Bdnf and synaptophysin levels in ACx increased both in normal-hearing and noise-exposed rats. Field recordings showed that basal synaptic transmission at layer 2/3 horizontal connections was significantly reduced in noise-exposed rats compared to normal-hearing animals and, notably, input-output curves of noise-exposed animals subjected to tDCS were similar to those of normal-hearing rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel evidence that anodal tDCS affects structural plasticity in the ACx suggesting that it might be beneficial in treating cortical alterations due to cochlear damage
2018
auditory cortex; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; dendritic spines; personalized medicine; synaptic transmission; tDCS
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation affects auditory cortex plasticity in normal-hearing and noise-exposed rats / Paciello, F; Podda, Mv; Rolesi, R; Cocco, S; Petrosini, L; Troiani, D; Fetoni, Ar; Paludetti, G; Grassi, C.. - In: BRAIN STIMULATION. - ISSN 1935-861X. - 11:5(2018), pp. 1008-1023. [10.1016/j.brs.2018.05.017]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1162085
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