Nishadi N. Gamage , Wei-Yeh Liao , Brodie J. Hand , Philip J. Atherton , Mathew Piasecki , George M. Opie , John G. Semmler
{"title":"Theta-gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation enhances ballistic motor performance in healthy young and older adults","authors":"Nishadi N. Gamage , Wei-Yeh Liao , Brodie J. Hand , Philip J. Atherton , Mathew Piasecki , George M. Opie , John G. Semmler","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.04.010","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Theta-gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation (TG tACS) over primary motor cortex (M1) can improve ballistic motor performance in young adults, but the effect on older adults is unknown. This study investigated the effects of TG tACS on motor performance and M1 excitability in 18 young and 18 older adults. High-definition TG tACS (6 Hz theta, 75 Hz gamma) or sham tACS was applied over right M1 for 20 min during a ballistic left-thumb abduction motor training task performed in two experimental sessions. Motor performance was quantified as changes in movement acceleration during and up to 60 min after training. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess changes in M1 excitability with motor-evoked potentials (MEP) and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) before and after training. We found that TG tACS increased motor performance compared with sham tACS in young and older adults (<em>P</em> < 0.001), with greater effects for young adults (<em>P</em> = 0.01). The improved motor performance with TG tACS lasted at least 60 min after training in both age groups. Motor training was accompanied by greater MEP amplitudes with TG tACS compared to sham tACS in young and older adults (<em>P</em> < 0.001), but SICI did not vary between tACS sessions (<em>P</em> = 0.40). These findings indicate that TG tACS over M1 improves motor performance and alters training-induced changes in M1 excitability in healthy young and older adults. TG tACS may therefore be beneficial to alleviate motor deficits in the ageing population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"152 ","pages":"Pages 1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Neurobiology of Aging","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458025000788","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Theta-gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation (TG tACS) over primary motor cortex (M1) can improve ballistic motor performance in young adults, but the effect on older adults is unknown. This study investigated the effects of TG tACS on motor performance and M1 excitability in 18 young and 18 older adults. High-definition TG tACS (6 Hz theta, 75 Hz gamma) or sham tACS was applied over right M1 for 20 min during a ballistic left-thumb abduction motor training task performed in two experimental sessions. Motor performance was quantified as changes in movement acceleration during and up to 60 min after training. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess changes in M1 excitability with motor-evoked potentials (MEP) and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) before and after training. We found that TG tACS increased motor performance compared with sham tACS in young and older adults (P < 0.001), with greater effects for young adults (P = 0.01). The improved motor performance with TG tACS lasted at least 60 min after training in both age groups. Motor training was accompanied by greater MEP amplitudes with TG tACS compared to sham tACS in young and older adults (P < 0.001), but SICI did not vary between tACS sessions (P = 0.40). These findings indicate that TG tACS over M1 improves motor performance and alters training-induced changes in M1 excitability in healthy young and older adults. TG tACS may therefore be beneficial to alleviate motor deficits in the ageing population.
期刊介绍:
Neurobiology of Aging publishes the results of studies in behavior, biochemistry, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular biology, morphology, neurology, neuropathology, pharmacology, physiology and protein chemistry in which the primary emphasis involves mechanisms of nervous system changes with age or diseases associated with age. Reviews and primary research articles are included, occasionally accompanied by open peer commentary. Letters to the Editor and brief communications are also acceptable. Brief reports of highly time-sensitive material are usually treated as rapid communications in which case editorial review is completed within six weeks and publication scheduled for the next available issue.