Sun Baijintao, Zhang Chuan, Zhang Qingwei, Xu Xiaoxue, Liu Jixin, Yang Hanfeng
Science and Technology and Innovation Center, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province, 637000, China; Biotechnology Innovation Drug Application and Transformation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province 637000, China.
Science and Technology and Innovation Center, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province, 637000, China; Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province, 637000, China; Institute of Nanomedicine Innovation and Translational Research, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province, 637000, China; Biotechnology Innovation Drug Application and Transformation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province 637000, China.
Neuroimage. 2025 Jun 16;317:121332. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121332.
High-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-tACS) targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) holds promise for pain management, though its neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether alpha HD-tACS applied to the left DLPFC modulates gamma oscillations to sustain analgesia during capsaicin-induced experimental pain (0.1% Capsaicin cream). Forty-five healthy participants underwent a single-blind, within-subject, sham-controlled protocol. EEG recordings were taken at three key time points: baseline (resting state), 5 minutes post-HD-tACS, and 15 minutes post-HD-tACS. Numeric rating scale (NRS) and oscillatory power changes were analyzed before, during, and after both active and sham stimulation. Results showed that active alpha HD-tACS significantly reduced NRS and area under curve (AUC) scores during both the stimulation period (0-30 minutes) and the post-stimulation period (30-60 minutes) compared to sham. EEG analyses revealed increased theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), beta(14-29 Hz), and low gamma (30-55 Hz) oscillations in the left DLPFC post-stimulation, but only low gamma oscillations passed the false discovery rate (FDR) correction. These findings suggest that alpha HD-tACS induces delayed analgesia by modulating low gamma oscillations in the DLPFC, highlighting its potential as a tool for optimizing non-invasive neuromodulation in pain therapy. The study bridges mechanistic insights with clinical outcomes, emphasizing the role of DLPFC low gamma activity in maintaining endogenous pain control.
针对背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC）的高清经颅交流电刺激（HD-tACS）在疼痛管理方面具有潜力，但其神经生物学机制仍不清楚。本研究旨在调查应用于左侧DLPFC的α-HD-tACS是否能调节γ振荡，以在辣椒素诱导的实验性疼痛（0.1%辣椒素乳膏）期间维持镇痛效果。45名健康参与者接受了一项单盲、受试者内、假刺激对照方案。在三个关键时间点进行脑电图记录：基线（静息状态）、HD-tACS后5分钟和HD-tACS后15分钟。在主动刺激和假刺激之前、期间和之后分析数字评分量表（NRS）和振荡功率变化。结果显示，与假刺激相比，主动α-HD-tACS在刺激期（0-30分钟）和刺激后期（30-60分钟）均显著降低了NRS和曲线下面积（AUC）评分。脑电图分析显示，刺激后左侧DLPFC的θ波（4-7Hz）、α波（8-13Hz）、β波（14-29Hz）和低γ波（30-55Hz）振荡增加，但只有低γ波振荡通过了错误发现率（FDR）校正。这些发现表明，α-HD-tACS通过调节DLPFC中的低γ振荡诱导延迟镇痛，突出了其作为优化疼痛治疗中非侵入性神经调节工具的潜力。该研究将机制性见解与临床结果联系起来，强调了DLPFC低γ活动在维持内源性疼痛控制中的作用。
