{"title":"Enhancing oscillatory dysfunctome in aphasia: Phase-dependent network effects of connectomic transcranial alternating current stimulation","authors":"Chester Yee-Nok Cheung, Anthony Pak-Hin Kong","doi":"10.1016/j.clinph.2026.2111712","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Connectomic transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) utilizes connectomic model to guide network-modulating tACS. Early application of connectomic tACS supported the feasibility of using phase-synchronization tACS to modulate connectivity within a symptom-predictive subnetwork (a.k.a. <em>dysfunctome</em>) to promote clinical benefit in post-stroke aphasia (PSA). However, the dysfunctome-modulatory patterns of in/anti-phase tACS remain unclear. This study investigates the dysfunctome-enhancing effects of in/anti-phase tACS applied to a centralized edge within the dysfunctome, and how individualized targeting pinpointing an individual’s weakened edge, may moderate these effects.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Nine individuals with PSA received single-session, double-blinded, 10-Hz tACS paired with speech therapy under five within-subject conditions: Generalized In-phase (GI), Generalized Anti-phase (GA), Individualized In-phase (II), Individualized Anti-phase (IA), and sham. Generalized conditions targeted an edge with the highest centrality within the dysfunctome that is universal to all participants. Individualized conditions pinpointed a centralized-but-weakened edge based on the individual’s dysfunctome profile. Dysfunctome and overall network changes were compared.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>GI and IA had a medium effect with marginal significance in producing greater increase in average connectivity of the dysfunctome than sham. The reverse pattern of phase-dependent effect in generalized and individualized conditions suggests a moderator role of baseline connectivity of the target edge.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In-phase tACS could potentially promote a dysfunctome-wide enhancement when targeted at an undisrupted centralized edge. Anti-phase tACS was more effective when the individual’s disrupted centralized edge was targeted, possibly via network reorganization mechanism.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Immediate network-modulatory effects of tACS indicate potential for clinical applications in precision neurorehabilitation of PSA or other network-based disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10671,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Neurophysiology","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 2111712"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Neurophysiology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388245726002117","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/2/24 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective
Connectomic transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) utilizes connectomic model to guide network-modulating tACS. Early application of connectomic tACS supported the feasibility of using phase-synchronization tACS to modulate connectivity within a symptom-predictive subnetwork (a.k.a. dysfunctome) to promote clinical benefit in post-stroke aphasia (PSA). However, the dysfunctome-modulatory patterns of in/anti-phase tACS remain unclear. This study investigates the dysfunctome-enhancing effects of in/anti-phase tACS applied to a centralized edge within the dysfunctome, and how individualized targeting pinpointing an individual’s weakened edge, may moderate these effects.
Methods
Nine individuals with PSA received single-session, double-blinded, 10-Hz tACS paired with speech therapy under five within-subject conditions: Generalized In-phase (GI), Generalized Anti-phase (GA), Individualized In-phase (II), Individualized Anti-phase (IA), and sham. Generalized conditions targeted an edge with the highest centrality within the dysfunctome that is universal to all participants. Individualized conditions pinpointed a centralized-but-weakened edge based on the individual’s dysfunctome profile. Dysfunctome and overall network changes were compared.
Results
GI and IA had a medium effect with marginal significance in producing greater increase in average connectivity of the dysfunctome than sham. The reverse pattern of phase-dependent effect in generalized and individualized conditions suggests a moderator role of baseline connectivity of the target edge.
Conclusions
In-phase tACS could potentially promote a dysfunctome-wide enhancement when targeted at an undisrupted centralized edge. Anti-phase tACS was more effective when the individual’s disrupted centralized edge was targeted, possibly via network reorganization mechanism.
Significance
Immediate network-modulatory effects of tACS indicate potential for clinical applications in precision neurorehabilitation of PSA or other network-based disorders.
期刊介绍:
As of January 1999, The journal Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, and its two sections Electromyography and Motor Control and Evoked Potentials have amalgamated to become this journal - Clinical Neurophysiology.
Clinical Neurophysiology is the official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology, the Brazilian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, the Czech Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, the Italian Clinical Neurophysiology Society and the International Society of Intraoperative Neurophysiology.The journal is dedicated to fostering research and disseminating information on all aspects of both normal and abnormal functioning of the nervous system. The key aim of the publication is to disseminate scholarly reports on the pathophysiology underlying diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system of human patients. Clinical trials that use neurophysiological measures to document change are encouraged, as are manuscripts reporting data on integrated neuroimaging of central nervous function including, but not limited to, functional MRI, MEG, EEG, PET and other neuroimaging modalities.