Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a safe, non-invasive neuromodulation method in which a small amount of electrical current is applied directly to the scalp for a relatively short amount of time. The current can alter membrane potential of the underlying brain tissue in either an excitatory or inhibitory manner.
By modulating the brain, we can explore how that brain region is important during a task or contributes to a disorder. There may also be clinical applications, such as alleviating symptoms in certain disorders or conditions.
During my PhD, I explored how tDCS applied to the cerebellum can influence reading and processing speed abilities in typical and disordered reading. In the future, I hope to use tDCS and other neuromodulatory techniques in a more applied manner.
During my PhD, I explored how tDCS applied to the cerebellum can influence reading and processing speed abilities in typical and disordered reading. In the future, I hope to use tDCS and other neuromodulatory techniques in a more applied manner.
The cerebellum is a brain region located inferior to the cerebrum and houses over half of the total neurons in the brain. Traditionally, this region has been associated with coordinated movement, but now there is a vast literature connecting it to cognition and learning in healthy and clinical populations.
The cerebellum plays a role in many types of behaviors and motor movements, therefore it's the perfect brain region to modulate!
