Temporal interference stimulation

Funding Program

BrainsCAN Accelerator Grant: Stimulus
Awarded: $95,340

Additional BrainsCAN Support

Computational Core
Imaging Core
NHP Core

Western Faculty, Group or Institution

Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Keywords

Compulsion, mental health, novel neuroscience/neuroimaging techniques, Parkinson's disease, vision/visual perception

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Background

Brain stimulation can be very helpful to many patients with Parkinson's disease, intractable depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder. It's also a core method in systems and clinical neuroscience. However, it's a challenge to balance precision and invasiveness - seeking a less invasive method typically means less precision in targeting deep brain areas.

In the last few years, a new method has been developed - 'temporal interference', by Drs. Grossman and Boyden. This uses two different electric fields that are each too high to stimulate the brain on their own, but when delivered to the brain together the difference between the two fields can influence neural activity in specific locations. By varying that difference in intensity of the two fields, the area of focus can be 'steered' to different parts of the deep brain. It can stimulate deep neural structures without activating the overlying brain regions.

The Problem

This method offers the tantalizing potential of non-invasive stimulation of deep brain targets, but much more research is needed before it can be used on patients. In particular, we need to do more research on the targeting precision, controlling the area of stimulation, and the temporal precision, understanding and controlling exactly what is happening when.

The Project

We will be developing this method in new models that will explore some of these outstanding questions. Our brain area of interest will be the oculomotor network, the brain network that controls our line of sight. This work is crucial in helping to develop temporal interference for wide applications within neuroscience, especially if we aspire to it having clinical applications for some brain disorders.

Western Researchers

Brian Corneil
Lyle Muller
Sebastian Lehmann

Research