Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity
Background: Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the somatosensory cortex activates neurons around the stimulating electrodes and can elicit tactile sensations. Objective: It is not clear how the direct activation of cortical neurons influences their ability to process additional tactile inputs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Brain Stimulation |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25000786 |
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| author | Luke E. Osborn Breanne Christie David P. McMullen Victoria Arriola Tessy M. Thomas Ambarish S. Pawar Robert W. Nickl Manuel A. Anaya Brock A. Wester Charles M. Greenspon Gabriela L. Cantarero Pablo A. Celnik Sliman J. Bensmaia Jeffrey M. Yau Matthew S. Fifer Francesco V. Tenore |
| author_facet | Luke E. Osborn Breanne Christie David P. McMullen Victoria Arriola Tessy M. Thomas Ambarish S. Pawar Robert W. Nickl Manuel A. Anaya Brock A. Wester Charles M. Greenspon Gabriela L. Cantarero Pablo A. Celnik Sliman J. Bensmaia Jeffrey M. Yau Matthew S. Fifer Francesco V. Tenore |
| author_sort | Luke E. Osborn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the somatosensory cortex activates neurons around the stimulating electrodes and can elicit tactile sensations. Objective: It is not clear how the direct activation of cortical neurons influences their ability to process additional tactile inputs originating from the skin. Methods: In a human implanted with chronic microelectrode arrays in both left and right somatosensory cortices, we presented mechanical vibration to the skin while simultaneously delivering ICMS and quantified the effects of combined mechanical and electrical stimulation on tactile perception. Results: We found that subthreshold ICMS enhanced sensitivity to touch on the skin, as evidenced by a reduction in vibrotactile detection thresholds (median: 1.5 dB), but subthreshold vibration did not systematically impact the detectability of ICMS. Suprathreshold vibration led to an increase in ICMS thresholds (median: 2.4 dB) but suprathreshold ICMS had little impact on vibrotactile thresholds. The ICMS-induced enhancement of vibrotactile sensitivity was location dependent with the effect size decreasing as the projected field of the stimulating electrode and the locus of vibratory stimulation became farther apart. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that targeted microstimulation of cortex alone can focally enhance tactile sensitivity, potentially enabling restoration or strengthening of retained tactile sensations after injury. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bacb70922a2f4f5dbfa4f3e67e624cd5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1935-861X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Stimulation |
| spelling | doaj-art-bacb70922a2f4f5dbfa4f3e67e624cd52025-08-20T03:47:41ZengElsevierBrain Stimulation1935-861X2025-05-0118390090810.1016/j.brs.2025.03.021Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivityLuke E. Osborn0Breanne Christie1David P. McMullen2Victoria Arriola3Tessy M. Thomas4Ambarish S. Pawar5Robert W. Nickl6Manuel A. Anaya7Brock A. Wester8Charles M. Greenspon9Gabriela L. Cantarero10Pablo A. Celnik11Sliman J. Bensmaia12Jeffrey M. Yau13Matthew S. Fifer14Francesco V. Tenore15Research & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.Research & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USANational Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USADepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USAResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USADepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USAResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USAResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA; Corresponding author. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA.Background: Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the somatosensory cortex activates neurons around the stimulating electrodes and can elicit tactile sensations. Objective: It is not clear how the direct activation of cortical neurons influences their ability to process additional tactile inputs originating from the skin. Methods: In a human implanted with chronic microelectrode arrays in both left and right somatosensory cortices, we presented mechanical vibration to the skin while simultaneously delivering ICMS and quantified the effects of combined mechanical and electrical stimulation on tactile perception. Results: We found that subthreshold ICMS enhanced sensitivity to touch on the skin, as evidenced by a reduction in vibrotactile detection thresholds (median: 1.5 dB), but subthreshold vibration did not systematically impact the detectability of ICMS. Suprathreshold vibration led to an increase in ICMS thresholds (median: 2.4 dB) but suprathreshold ICMS had little impact on vibrotactile thresholds. The ICMS-induced enhancement of vibrotactile sensitivity was location dependent with the effect size decreasing as the projected field of the stimulating electrode and the locus of vibratory stimulation became farther apart. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that targeted microstimulation of cortex alone can focally enhance tactile sensitivity, potentially enabling restoration or strengthening of retained tactile sensations after injury.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25000786 |
| spellingShingle | Luke E. Osborn Breanne Christie David P. McMullen Victoria Arriola Tessy M. Thomas Ambarish S. Pawar Robert W. Nickl Manuel A. Anaya Brock A. Wester Charles M. Greenspon Gabriela L. Cantarero Pablo A. Celnik Sliman J. Bensmaia Jeffrey M. Yau Matthew S. Fifer Francesco V. Tenore Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity Brain Stimulation |
| title | Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity |
| title_full | Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity |
| title_fullStr | Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity |
| title_short | Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity |
| title_sort | subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25000786 |
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